EXIT EN MASSE

Black Staffers Leaving White House in ‘Blaxit,’ Politico Reports

One current White House staffer who spoke to Politico attributed some of the issues to a lack of Black mentors and leadership.

Joe Biden’s White House, the most diverse in history, is facing a wave of departures from Black employees, according to Politico. Since last year, at least 21 Black staffers have left or are planning to leave, a pattern that some Black aides have coined “Blaxit,” according to two White House sources who spoke with Politico. Peoples’ reasons for leaving varied, though some current staffers attribute the exodus to an environment that lacks support and upward mobility. Others point to low salaries, with one current staffer pointing out that “a lot of Black folks in these roles don’t come from wealthy families.” One former White House official attributed some of the negative experiences to a “dearth of Black leadership” and mentors. A number of the staffers who left, however, said they did so on good terms, and White House officials have pushed against the concerns, saying that around 14 percent of current staffers identify as Black, a percentage aligned with the national population. The White House press secretary said that Black staff have been promoted at high rates and that the turnover is normal.