President Joe Biden reportedly intervened in 2021 after reports surfaced of turmoil within Vice President Kamala Harris’s office, warning her staff to either support Harris or risk being fired.
In response to staff turnover and dysfunction, Biden emphasized the need for loyalty, leading to an eventual uptick in office stability and staff endorsements for her presidential bid, as The Independent explains.
The reports of internal strife in Harris’s office surfaced in mid-2021, during her first year in office. The vice president’s team experienced a high level of turnover, with more than 90% of her original staff departing by 2024. According to sources, frustrations over Harris’s leadership style, described as overly prosecutorial, contributed to the tension. Staffers expressed discomfort with Harris’s detailed questioning of her schedule and briefings.
In the face of these challenges, Biden reportedly stepped in to address the discontent within Harris’s team. According to sources familiar with the situation, he issued a stern warning to her staffers, making it clear that loyalty to Harris was non-negotiable. Those who could not adhere to this standard risked being removed from their positions.
This intervention was aimed at stabilizing the vice president’s office, which was increasingly seen as dysfunctional by both current and former staffers. In interviews with POLITICO in June 2021, several aides painted a picture of a negative working environment. Despite the intervention, tensions continued for some time, and turnover remained high.
By 2024, nearly all of Harris’s original team had departed, though her office had become more stable as she reportedly adapted her leadership approach.
Harris’s leadership style, particularly her tendency to ask pointed and specific questions, was a recurring theme in critiques from her staff. Some described her management as overly demanding, which contributed to the early instability in her office. The vice president’s scrutiny of every detail in her daily schedule and briefings frustrated some staff members, who found the approach exhausting.
However, over time, Harris’s office found a more sustainable path forward. The turnover rate, while still high, eventually began to slow. Harris adjusted her management style, contributing to a more cohesive and stable team environment by 2024.
High turnover in political offices is not unusual, especially in demanding and high-pressure environments. President Biden’s executive branch has seen a turnover rate of approximately 71%, a figure not far from Harris’s office. Comparatively, the turnover rate for former President Donald Trump’s senior-level staff was said to be about 91%, signaling the pressures of top-tier government positions.
In light of the similarities in turnover rates, the working environment in the Trump administration was also described as chaotic by former aides. Several of Trump’s staffers echoed the complaints that surfaced in Harris’s office, noting a similarly negative atmosphere during their time in the White House. As Harris’s office stabilized, it became evident that the vice president had managed to adapt and grow from the challenges that plagued her early tenure.
By the time the 2024 election season approached, the atmosphere in Harris’s office was said to have shifted notably. Staff turnover had slowed, and the overall working environment was reportedly much improved. Many of the vice president’s former aides expressed renewed confidence in her abilities, especially in light of her potential presidential bid.
A letter from staffers endorsing Harris highlighted her strength and resilience, qualities they said had been apparent even during the most challenging moments of her vice presidency. The former staffers pointed to what they said was her history of tackling tough issues and advocating for marginalized communities as proof of her readiness for higher office. “We have seen her take on bad actors and fight for those who are overlooked and left behind,” the letter stated. “And she has delivered results in every office she has ever held.”
As Harris moves closer to a potential presidential run, efforts to put the turmoil of her early days as vice president seem to have succeeded to a degree. Her office, once plagued by turnover and dysfunction, now claims to be ready to tackle the next challenge.
