State Department officials announced spokesman Ned Price will exit his role with the department later this month to pursue a new role.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken credited Price for being the “face and voice” of U.S. foreign policy throughout the Biden administration.
“For people in America and around the world, Ned Price has often been a face and voice of U.S. foreign policy,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. “He’s performed with extraordinary professionalism and integrity. On behalf of the Department, I thank Ned for his remarkable service.”
Since day one as Spokesperson, Ned Price has been a voice for U.S. foreign policy, modeled transparency and integrity, and promoted press freedom around the world. Fortunate I’ll be able to continue to rely on him as trusted advisor in his new role. pic.twitter.com/cB0mTTwwNt— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 8, 2023
POLITICO reported that Price is exiting his role as spokesperson to begin a new role reporting directly to Sec. Blinken. An anonymous State Dept. official told POLITICO that Price will be taking a policy-focused role in Blinken‘s office but stopped short of revealing any details about said role.
NEWS: @NBCNews is first to report that @StateDeptSpox Ned Price – who restored daily briefings and press access on the Secretary’s travels – will leave the podium for a policy position reporting directly to @SecBlinken later this month.— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 7, 2023
Price previously worked as a CIA analyst and served as a spokesperson for the National Security Council during the Obama administration.
“I started as a public servant as an analyst at the CIA, and I ended up in this job because of a series of accidents, fateful accidents,” Price told NBC News. “I have loved being in this line of work for the past several years. And one of the things I love most about it is the connection to the policy.”
In his statement, Blinken thanked Price for bringing back the department’s daily press briefings, and praised Price for “giving journalists the chance to regularly ask tough questions of our policy.”
“Ned has helped the U.S. government defend and promote press freedom around the globe and modeled the transparency and openness we advocate for in other countries,” Blinken added. “His contributions will benefit the Department long after his service.”
🇺🇲 : Ned Price will step down as US State Department spokesperson this month.. pic.twitter.com/G3f0kMw1Cr— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) March 8, 2023
Vedant Patel, Price’s current deputy, will serve as his temporary replacement, the State Department official said.
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