Kate Bedingfield expected to leave White House soon

(CNN) — Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director, is leaving the White House, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

She is departing ahead of an expected launch of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign.

Ben LaBolt, a top Democratic communications professional who served in the Obama White House, will replace Bedingfield as communications director, the sources said.

LaBolt also worked with the Biden White House during the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Bedingfield had previously announced last summer that she would leave the administration, but later reversed her decision, remaining in the post for several more months.

One source familiar with her thinking said that Bedingfield’s initial decision to leave had much to do with feeling burnt out and exhausted — but that now she is “ready in a way she wasn’t last time” to depart the Biden White House.

It also felt like a natural time to exit given other major changes in the West Wing, including former chief of staff Ron Klain’s departure this week. Klain was replaced by Jeff Zients.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.