(Bloomberg) — White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is in exclusive talks to join MSNBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The discussions involve Psaki hosting a show on Comcast Corp.’s streaming service, Peacock, and she’d also appear on other MSNBC programs, said the person, who asked not identified. Psaki is expected to step down from the White House this spring and then formalize a deal with the network.
Psaki said Friday when asked about the discussions that she has “nothing to confirm” about when she plans to leave the White House or her “next plans.”
“My focus every day continues to be speaking on behalf of the president, answering your questions,” she said during her daily press briefing.
The spokeswoman said she has “received rigorous ethics counseling, including as it relates to any future employment.”
The news was reported earlier by Axios. Both CNN and MSNBC had been trying to hire Psaki, Puck reported in February.
Psaki would be the latest Biden administration spokesperson to join the left-leaning network. Symone Sanders, the former spokeswoman for Vice President Kamala Harris, left the White House at the end of last year. She will host a weekend show on MSNBC in May that will also stream on Peacock.
The moves are part a broader talent shakeup at MSNBC. In December, Brian Williams, who hosted an 11 p.m. show, left and has been replaced by Stephanie Ruhle. Rachel Maddow, the network’s biggest star, has been on hiatus and recently signed a new deal that would allow her to pursue other projects. She’s expected to dial back her nightly show and appear less often on the network after this year.
(Updates with Psaki comments starting in third paragraph)
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