Ashley Etienne, Vice President Kamala Harris' communications director, left the administration to explore "other possibilities," Vanity Fair reported on Thursday.
According to the report, there is nothing extraordinary in Etienne's departure, since she is allegedly following the unspoken practice of White House employees leaving after the first year of their employer's term.
"Ashley is a valued member of the vice president's team, who has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of this administration," an undisclosed official is quoted as saying regarding the news in the CNN report. "She is leaving the office in December to pursue other opportunities."
However, with her boss Harris' approval ratings currently hitting a low of some 28%, the timing may have something to do with reports of discontent with Harris' role in the administration and disagreements with the rest of her team.
Also on Thursday, the vice president attempted to shake off rumors of any troubles within her office when speaking with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, who asked her whether she felt 'misused or underused" by the Biden administration.
"No," she stated emphatically. "I don’t. I’m very, very excited about the work that we have accomplished. But I am also absolutely, absolutely clear-eyed that there is a lot more to do, and we’re gonna get it done."
According to the report, some advisers have been pushing for Harris to be more visible, and have clashed with those who do not believe it is the appropriate course of action, given the several awkward moments she has had at public events, which were perceived as fiascos by some.
The outlet recalled that Etienne was a former senior advisor to both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden during President Barack Obama's administration, and joined Harris' team in the weeks after the 2020 election.
Back in 2020, when she was picked as Biden's running mate, Harris was widely seen as the heir apparent and a new leading figure in the Democratic party, lauded for her "many firsts," as WH Press Secretary Jen Psaki put it. But given the latest developments, some critics argue that the number of comments on the VP's effectiveness, and in particular on the border crisis which she was appointed to manage, could seriously undermine her political future.