White House communications director reverses decision to step down

July 30 (UPI) -- In a last-minute reversal, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said she will not be leaving the West Wing after all.

Bedingfield had previously said she would step down at the end of July after years advising President Joe Biden, from his second term as vice president to the 2020 election, COVID-19 pandemic and the nomination of a Supreme Court justice.

But this week, under pressure to reconsider from Biden and Chief of Staff Ron Klain, she changed her mind.

"After much thought, discussion and reflection, I've decided to stay," Bedingfield emailed colleagues on Friday, as reported by CNN and The New York Times. "I'm not done here and there is so much more good work to do with all of you.

She continued: "I couldn't be happier and more excited about this awesome -- if admittedly last-minute! -- development. The work is too important and too energizing and I have a lot of gas left in the tank."

Bedingfield had said she wanted to step down to spend more time with her husband and young children.

Klain had high praise for Bedingfield's performance as White House communications director.

"Without Kate Bedingfield's talent and tenacity, Donald Trump might still be in the White House, the Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Law might still be unrealized goals, and Ketanji Brown Jackson might not be sitting on the Supreme Court," Klain said in a statement.

Her announcement to stay left some White House insiders shocked.

"It's wild," one senior Democrat told CNN.