Ned Price to Step Down as Spokesperson for US State Dept in March

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that State Department Spokesperson Ned Price will step down from his post later in the month after holding more than 200 press briefings since 2021.

"This month, Ned Price will step down as the State Department’s spokesperson," the statement said on Tuesday. "Throughout the more than 200 briefings he has since [January 20, 2021] held, he’s treated journalists – as well as colleagues and everyone else he interacts with – with respect."

"On a personal level, I have constantly benefited from his counsel, as have so many members of the department," Blinken said in the statement. "Fortunately, I’ll be able to continue to do that."

Earlier in the day, US media reported that Price will leave his post on March 17 to take up his new position under Blinken.

Price reportedly called the new position a return to policy work, where his career began. Price previously served as CIA and National Security Council spokesperson under former US President Barack Obama.

Price’s "firm grasp" of State Department policies made him an effective spokesperson, Blinken said.

Current State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel will take over for Price after he leaves the role. However, a permanent successor has yet to be announced.

Price previously resigned from government in February 2017 as a direct result of the newly installed Trump White House. However, his return to serve has not entirely been without its various hiccups under the Biden administration.

Price has famously clashed with AP reporter Matt Lee, who has on more than one occasion grilled the spokesperson for making or reiterating statements during press briefings without providing sufficient evidence. One of those instances more recently took place in 2022, when a challenged Price told Lee to "find solace" in Russia if he doubted the US' credibility.