State Department spokesperson Ned Price is on his way out
Washington DC - State Department spokesperson Ned Price is set to step down in March after just over two years in office, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
Price, one of the more recognizable faces in the US State Department, has held the role since January 2021, the day of Joe Biden's inauguration as US president. The department said that he would remain in the ministry and work directly with Blinken.
"Within days of taking on the role, he restored the Department's daily press briefings, giving journalists the chance to regularly ask tough questions of our policy," Blinken said in a statement.
During the administration of Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, State Department press briefings had become a pretty irregular occurrence.
"Ned has helped the US government defend and promote press freedom around the globe and modeled the transparency and openness we advocate for in other countries. His contributions will benefit the Department long after his service," Blinken said, while also adding that Price will remain at his department in some capacity, "working directly for me."
NBC reported that Price would remain in office until mid-March and would then be replaced by current deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel.
Cover photo: REUTERS