By Lauren Egan, Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander -
NBC News
WASHINGTON - Symone Sanders, a senior adviser and chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, will step down at the end of the month, a White House official and four other sources familiar with the matter revealed to our sister network NBC News.
His departure would mark the second high-level casualty from Harris's office in recent weeks.
Ashley Etienne, the vice president's communications director, announced last month that she would be leaving in December.
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A White House official said Wednesday that the 31-year-old Sanders had "served honorably" for three years, first as part of President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign and then on the transition team before joining the office. of the vice president.
The official noted that the president and vice president were "grateful" for Sanders' work on behalf of the Administration and described her as a "team player" who will be missed.
Sanders' plans beyond the vice president's office were not immediately known.
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Politico and CNN previously reported on Sanders' departure.
While it's not uncommon for White House advisers to leave within the year of a new Administration, the two high-level departures come as Harris has struggled to define her role as vice president.
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In recent weeks, Harris has had to navigate a series of unflattering stories in the media that have portrayed difficult internal work dynamics and raised questions about his future as party leader should Biden decide not to appear for reelection in 2024.
Sanders has been one of the vice president's staunchest advocates, especially on issues like Harris's work on immigration with countries known as the Northern Triangle.
Sanders repeatedly opposed Republican attempts to link Harris to the immigration crisis on the US-Mexico border.
Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden and senior adviser Symone Sanders participate in a campaign rally in Iowa City, Iowa, on January 27, 2020.Matt Rourke / AP
With the departure of Sanders and Etienne, some external allies of the vice president hope Harris can seize the opportunity to bring in new leadership to contribute to what they see as a much-needed readjustment heading into a midterm election year.
Some allies have said that 2022 will be an important opportunity for Harris to define his place in the Administration and in the party as a whole.
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It is unclear who will fill the main communication roles in the vice president's office.
In September, Harris hired Lorraine Voles and Adam Frankel, two veteran Democratic strategists, to help her with her communication strategy.