Louisa Terrell, a longtime senior adviser to President Joe Biden, will depart the White House at the end of July, Biden confirmed in a statement Friday afternoon.
Terrell served as part of Biden's inner circle, alongside Steve Richetti and Anita Dunn, and served as a key negotiator for the White House over the past two-and-a-half years. She marks the highest-profile official to exit the administration since Julie Chavez Rodriguez joined the president's reelection effort in the spring.
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Biden claimed in a statement that Terrell was critical to passing the Inflation Reduction Act and his landmark spending packages and avoiding a national default during this year's debt ceiling negotiations with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and congressional Republicans.
"For years — as a Senator, as Vice President, as President, and every moment in between — I have relied on Louisa for her wise counsel and her skill. I have relied upon her to reflect my values. And I have relied upon her to deliver for the American people. Every step of the way, that’s exactly what she has done," the president wrote in a statement Friday.
He continued, "Louisa’s steady hand and perseverance have consistently helped get key priorities over the finish line. Her work to secure the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, along with a historic number of diverse judges and appointees across the United States Government, has significantly furthered our work to build an Administration and judicial benches at every level that look more like America."
Biden added that, perhaps most importantly, Louisa has been an extraordinary leader and an empowering mentor to countless staff.
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"I know that nothing gives her more pride than the team she has capably managed and led," Biden said. "Jill and I extend our deepest gratitude to Louisa for her years of service to the American people, and also to her family, for sharing her with us."
Terrell, who, like the president, hails from Delaware, has been a close figure in the Biden circle for decades. She was schoolmates with the president's late son, Beau Biden, and first worked for him when he served on the Senate Judiciary Committee.