Biden's Ex-Press Secretary Announces She's Quit Democrats
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Joe Biden's former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has revealed she has left the Democratic party to become an independent.
Jean-Pierre, who was criticized during her tenure as press secretary for being evasive about Biden's physical condition, made the revelation in her new book; "Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines," published on October 21.
Wednesday's announcement from Legacy Lit said the book will take readers "through the three weeks that led to Biden's abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision."
Jean-Pierre also discusses how she switched to independent after working in two Democratic administrations.
This is a breaking news story, updates to follow.
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Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
The Trump-Musk feud is painfully awkward for the GOP
Rep. Tom Tiffany seemed to be at a loss for words. "I don't have anything to say," the Wisconsin Republican told me as we descended the steps outside the House chamber. "Let's wait for the next tweet." I was hoping for a bit more, so I pressed on. "It is what it is," he said with a slight laugh. It was the last vote of the day, and House Republicans were eager to get out of there. Their counterparts in the Senate had managed to leave town for the week just as the nasty — and for some, long-anticipated — feud between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump was getting underway. What began as a disagreement over the "Big Beautiful Bill" had taken a strange turn. By this point, Musk had replied " yes" to a post that included a reference to impeaching Trump, claimed responsibility for the president's 2024 victory, declared that tariffs would cause a recession, and said that Trump is in the "Epstein files." Trump had floated taking away Musk's government contracts, said that the billionaire "went CRAZY," and insinuated that the tech titan suffered from "Trump Derangement Syndrome." As Tiffany faltered, a Democratic colleague pounced. "So Tom," Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin interjected as he walked by, "Elon or Trump? Who's gonna win?" The Republican congressman's tepid laughter grew into a guffaw. We all waited for the response. It never arrived. "I've got the press here," an exasperated Tiffany said. "What do you want me to say, Mark?" Many Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill found themselves in some version of Tiffany's position, unsure what to say about the vicious war of words unfolding online. "Is Mercury in retrograde?" asked Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado. For months, Trump and Musk have appeared largely in lockstep. Republicans had become accustomed to brushing off and explaining away questions about the former DOGE leader's machinations in the executive branch, as they had with Trump for nearly a decade. Now, with the two men very publicly at odds, it was a time for choosing. But Republicans weren't all that eager to choose. And at least one who did quickly reconsidered. "Enough Elon. Put the phone down and go outside and play," Republican Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina wrote in a post on X that was deleted minutes later. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican who served as Secretary of the Interior during Trump's first term, initially offered praise for Musk when asked about the feud. "I respect, obviously, the President. I respect Elon Musk," Zinke said. "Very, very bright." When informed about Musk's response to the post referencing Trump's impeachment, Zinke let out a sharp sigh. "Yeah, that's a bridge too far," he said. "You know, I'm sorry that his tour of duty ended that way." "This is a sign of the times that you see some of this stuff being done in public," Republican Rep. Scotty Perry of Pennsylvania said. "People over the course of history who wanted to save the republic had different viewpoints about how to do it." Several Republicans on Thursday used social media to subtly make their allegiance to Trump known, even without explicitly criticizing the world's richest man. One of them was Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh of Arizona, who posted a photo of himself with Trump on X as the drama with Musk unfolded. America First — now and forever. 🇺🇸 — Abe Hamadeh (@AbrahamHamadeh) June 5, 2025 Was it a veiled message? Hamadeh laughed and looked down when asked about it. "President Trump's my president," he told me. "People voted for him. I supported him. President Trump is the reason why we're all here." He later added that he "appreciated" Musk's contributions. For Democrats, it was a told-you-so moment. "None of it surprises me, to be honest," Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, the top Democrat on the DOGE subcommittee, told me. "You sell your soul to the devil, or you pay your way into it, and this is what you get." The only Republican who seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself was Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who's had his fair share of feuds with Trump and voted against the "Big Beautiful Bill" for largely the same reason that Musk decided to critique it. "I tell my colleagues," Massie said, "if I get hit on Independence Avenue, and they have to deliver my eulogy, just say he was having his best day ever."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Who is running for NJ governor? These are the 2025 Democratic and Republican candidates
New Jersey's June 10 primary election is days away, and though polling shows Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the lead for the Democrats and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli out in front for the Republicans, it remains to be seen what will happen when Garden State voters head to the polls. Voting has been underway for weeks as vote-by-mail ballots were sent out in April. Early in-person voting began June 3 and runs through June 9, and the primary election day is June 10. As of last month, there were 6,565,285 registered voters in New Jersey, including 2,449,526 Democrats and 1,621,669 Republicans. That is 44,487 fewer Democrats and 62,342 more Republicans than at this time last year. The nation will be watching the Garden State's general election unfold as a bellwether — New Jersey and Virginia are the only states holding elections for governor this year. Pundits are already portraying the two races as referendums on the second Trump administration's policies and agenda. New Jersey's primary is also the first in a post-county-line world where all 21 counties will use the block ballot design for both parties. The line traditionally gave candidates endorsed by the county party preferred ballot placement, and an edge in their efforts, but it was dismantled by a federal judge last year. The Democratic candidates are Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Republican candidates are state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman and previous nominee Jack Ciattarelli, and former radio personality Bill Spadea. Two other Republican candidates, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and Justin Barbera, are also on the June 10 primary ballot but did not meet various qualifications to participate in debates this spring. According to a poll conducted by Emerson College, PIX11 and The Hill released May 15, Ciattarelli holds a clear lead among the Republican electorate, with support from 44% of New Jersey Republicans polled. Spadea followed with 18%. Bramnick registered 8%. The Democratic field is more complicated. Sherrill held a lead with interest from 28% of registered New Jersey Democrats, followed by Fulop, Gottheimer and Baraka at 11%, Spiller at 10% and Sweeney at 5%. Here are profiles of the nine major candidates, sorted alphabetically by party: Baraka, 54, has led the state's largest city since 2014 and served as a council member before that. Before being elected, Baraka also was a public servant, working as a public school teacher and later an administrator. He's made headlines during the last few months for his adamant opposition to the Trump administration's actions related to the immigrant community. Baraka called out threats issued by President Donald Trump directly during a press conference after ICE performed a raid in his city. "I'm not afraid of that, and if he thinks I'm just going to go to jail quietly, he's got another think coming," Baraka said. Since then, he has made it clear he is opposed to the reopening of a private ICE detention facility at Delaney Hall, owned by private prison contractor GEO Group, that is operating in Newark. Baraka entered the race to fight for working people and has said his priority is to deliver 'real relief for working families by cutting taxes for the majority of households across this state and addressing the housing crisis.' The mayor has said the state needs to work on longer spending forecasts and to lower health care costs by reference-pricing. 'We gave millionaires a tax break from 2010 to 2022 to the tune of $15 billion. Of course, we don't have any money, because we let the wealthy get away,' Baraka said. 'We've taken from the poor and we made the middle class foot the bill." Fulop, 47, declared his candidacy in 2023. He used that early advantage to outline proposals and plans on topics ranging from the state's transportation infrastructure to affordable housing and has laid out his policy for transparency in government. Before his election as mayor in 2013, Fulop spent nearly a decade on the City Council and was a U.S. Marine, serving in Iraq. He also worked for Goldman Sachs. Fulop has branded himself as an anti-establishment candidate, working to promote his own slate of Assembly candidates in concert with his own campaign. He hasn't shied away from criticizing the county organization system and did not participate in the county convention process. He has said he's running because as a mayor he has seen firsthand the challenges and obstacles created by Trenton. Fulop's priority would be to change the culture of boss politics that impedes progress in Trenton. The mayor has said he's been 'unapologetic in supporting the Immigrant Trust Act' and that his track record in Jersey City shows that. 'We are the only nationally accredited immigration office in a municipal building in the country,' he said. 'We've been at the forefront of the refugee program in Afghanistan and Ukraine. I am passionate about it as a family of immigrants." Gottheimer, 49, lives in Tenafly with his wife and two children. He was first elected to Congress in 2016. Before that he served as a speechwriter for former President Bill Clinton and senior counsel to the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. He also worked as an executive at Microsoft. Gottheimer prides himself on being a leader of the Congressional Problem Solvers caucus in Washington and working with members across the aisle on legislation. He's also been very outspoken in his opposition to New York's congestion pricing program. The congressman has said he is running as the "Lower Taxes, Lower Costs Governor' because life is 'too damn expensive' in New Jersey. His priority is to 'bring down taxes and make life more affordable' by 'getting property and income taxes down, cutting bureaucracy, and making sure local businesses can afford to stay, grow and create more jobs in Jersey.' Gottheimer has said he wants to run a 'more efficient government.' 'We've got to make life more affordable. That means housing,' he said. 'We have to get child care costs down, and we've got to get property taxes down and deal with income taxes for the middle class." Sherrill, 52, lives in Montclair with her husband and four children. She was first elected to Congress in 2018. Before that, Sherrill served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy and worked as a federal prosecutor. Sherrill has built what has been perceived to be a front-runner status through taking a fairly traditional approach to gathering support from county party chairs and county conventions. Vowing to serve as a foil to the Trump administration, Sherrill has leaned into her military experience during this campaign, going so far as to wear her Navy flight jacket in the video distributed to announce her candidacy. 'In a crisis, the worst thing you can do is freeze. You have to choose to lead, to follow or get out of the way,' she said in the video after highlighting her military background. She has said she's running to bring a 'fresh perspective in Trenton' and that her first priorities would be addressing the cost of living and building more housing. When it comes to spending, she has said reforms are needed in the state system. 'We can't drive in more federal money. We've got to address the state budget system. We need more transparency,' Sherrill said. 'We have got to build houses and make New Jersey more affordable, housing more affordable." Spiller, 49, lives in Montclair. After just four years as Montclair's mayor, Spiller decided to forgo reelection in favor of pursuing higher office. He secured the backing of one of the state's most powerful labor unions, the New Jersey Education Association. He's also the union's president. While he points to some of the things he did in Montclair as ideas to spread statewide, his time in the township was not without issue. During a deposition in a lawsuit filed by a former employee against Montclair, Spiller invoked his Fifth Amendment right hundreds of times, refusing to answer any questions. Spiller has said he's running to give kids the future they deserve. His priority would also be to address the state's affordability crisis, and he said he wants to 'make this state a place where raising a family or starting a business is within reach for everyone — not just the wealthy.' When it comes to spending, Spiller has said the state often issues 'unfunded mandates' for municipalities. 'We have to look at more equitable ways to raise taxes as a state and use those taxes to support everyday residents," he said. Sweeney, 65, is a West Deptford resident and spent 20 years in the state Senate, 12 of them as president. He lost in a shocking upset in 2021. An ironworker by trade, Sweeney serves as general vice president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. Like Fulop, Sweeney was poised for a run in 2017 but ultimately opted not to run and eventually endorsed Gov. Phil Murphy. He has said he decided to run because he understands how Trenton works and knows 'how to get things done.' Sweeney's first priority would be fixing the budget process. He has said he 'would be doing multiyear budgeting and consensus forecasting with the Legislature, which requires the governor to give up some power so that we can get accurate budget forecasts.' He would also focus on housing. NJ Primary Election 2025: Our complete guide to voting, governor candidates, local races Primary issues: How would New Jersey's candidates for governor tackle affordability? Washington looms: What's the top issue in the NJ gubernatorial primary? Donald Trump's agenda Advertising: How much are the 2025 candidates for New Jersey governor spending on television ads so far? Bramnick, 72, lives in Westfield and has served in the Legislature for more than two decades. He got his start in Trenton in 2003 as a member of the Assembly, where he served as Republican leader from 2012 until 2021, when he won the Senate seat he currently holds. The senator is an attorney at Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold and Mangan in Scotch Plains. He served on the City Council in Plainfield from 1984 to 1991. He was the first Republican to jump into the race. As a Never-Trump Republican, he has said more recently that he would work with the president in situations where it would benefit New Jersey and its residents. He entered the race to break up the 'Democrat monopoly New Jersey government has become' and to address high costs. Bramnick said his first priority is to create a government efficiency panel to 'examine every facet of our state government and find waste, overregulation and areas for improvement' as a way to 'make our state government smaller, more responsive, and provide savings and sustainable tax cuts.' The state senator has said New Jersey has corruption but believes it can be fixed. 'We have corruption in this state, so you need to appoint an attorney general who will make sure that he roots out corruption, same with the United States attorney, but this concept of 'deep state,' those are the kind of terms that you throw out there and what are you talking about?' he said. 'We have corruption and we need to address that, but 'deep state' because someone has been elected to the Legislature for a while, all of a sudden they are in the deep state. That's mythology that I think you hear on cable TV." Ciattarelli, 63, lives in Somerville. The former assemblyman made it clear he planned to run again after losing a closer-than-expected race to Murphy, the incumbent, in 2021. He served in the state Assembly from 2011 to 2018 and in county and local government before that. He lost in the 2017 primary to former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. Ciattarelli is running because he wants to provide opportunities for future generations. He has said his priority would be to cap property taxes, reform the school funding formula, audit state spending to find significant cuts, repeal the sanctuary state directive that he said made New Jersey a magnet for undocumented immigrants, and push for term limits on state legislators to bring in fresh ideas and new blood. The former assemblyman has not shied away from embracing the Trump administration, something he did not do when Trump was running in 2015. He spoke personally with the president at Trump's Bedminster golf course and has echoed Trump's sentiments regarding immigration. 'Executive order No. 1, no town in this state will be a sanctuary city and we will not be a sanctuary state,' Ciattarelli said. Spadea, 55, lives in Princeton. His campaign drew some attention in the beginning when 101.5 and Townsquare Media chose to keep him on the air until he became a legally qualified candidate. Attorneys for Bramnick and Ciattarelli alleged that his show gave him an unfair advantage in campaign donations and contributions. He ultimately ended the show before any restrictions were implemented. Spadea said he's running to 'make New Jersey affordable again.' His first priority would be to 'immediately end the illegal immigration crisis.' 'We're going to rescind the 2018 executive order and get rid of the sanctuary state. We're going to rescind the 2019 Immigrant Trust Directive,' he said. 'We're going to issue a series of executive orders … to stop phase four of this high-density housing nonsense that is crushing our suburban communities." Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@ This article originally appeared on NJ governor election 2025: Who are the candidates?
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Betting Markets Preview Possible Next Escalation In Musk-Trump Feud
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Betting markets are already predicting what the next developments could be in the new feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Newsweek reached out to the White House and Musk through Tesla for comment via email. Why It Matters Musk became one of Trump's most ardent supporters on the campaign trail in the 2024 presidential race, donating nearly $300 million to Republicans last year. However, the relationship between the two has appeared to sour over Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," a piece of legislation that would extend tax cuts and include funding for other priorities, such as immigration. Musk raised concerns about its effect on the national debt. On Thursday, Musk escalated the feud, writing in a post to X that Republicans would not have won in 2024 without him while also claiming the administration has not released the Epstein files because Trump is mentioned in them. What to Know No one knows exactly what will happen next, but some are turning to online betting markets like Polymarket to make their guesses about whether the feud will further escalate or whether the two could soon make up. On Friday, Musk has been a bit quieter on social media, not making any more comments about Trump. Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told NBC News there are "no plans" for the two to meet on Friday. Here's an overview of what betting markets say about the next potential developments. Elon Musk and President Donald Trump speak in Philadelphia on on March 22, 2025. Elon Musk and President Donald Trump speak in Philadelphia on on March 22, Donald Trump and Elon Musk Meet? Polymarket traders predict it is probable Trump and Musk will meet by the end of the year—giving that likelihood a 57 percent chance—but are doubtful that a meeting will come in the coming weeks. Traders are giving the meeting a 14 percent chance of happening by June 30 and a 31 percent chance of happening by July 31. Rival betting odds website Kalshi, on the other hand, gave a 56 percent chance of Trump and Musk calling before July. Will Elon Musk Suspend Trump From X? Polymarket odds of Trump being suspended from X by next Friday remain low at only 1.7 percent, a drop from Thursday evening when traders gave it a roughly 4 percent chance of happening. Betting market site William Hill gives a slightly higher likelihood that Trump could be banned from X during his second term at about 6/4, roughly 40 percent. It's also unlikely that Musk would unfollow Trump on the social media platform, according to Polymarket, where the odds of that happening were only 19 percent. Kalshi gives the likelihood of an unfollow about 33 percent. Will Elon Musk Create a New Political Party? Musk proposed in a post to X on Thursday the creation of a new political party, writing, "Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?" But Polymarket currently gives that a low chance of happening—a 7 percent chance by the end of June and a 22 percent chance by the end of the year. Is A Trump-Musk Reconciliation in the Cards? Polymarket traders are somewhat skeptical about the possibility the two could reconcile by July, placing the chances of that happening at only 33 percent as of early Friday afternoon. According to Kalshi, the odds of Musk rejoining the Trump administration are low at about 16 percent. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, on Thursday: "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. I was surprised. You were here. Everybody in this room practically was here as we had a wonderful send-off. He said wonderful things about me. You couldn't have nicer-said the best things. He's worn the hat. Trump was right about everything, and I am right about the 'Great Big Beautiful Bill.'" Elon Musk, on X: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate." Conservative pundit Laura Loomer wrote on X on Thursday: "I know lawmakers who are asking if they should side with President Trump or Elon. I've been on the hill all day and it's all anyone is talking about. The most powerful man in the world vs the richest man in the world." What Happens Next The full impact of the Trump-Musk feud will be felt over the coming weeks. A poll from YouGov, conducted among 3,812 adults on June 6 found that 71 percent of Republicans side with Trump, while only six percent side with Musk, amid the feud.
