Biden has worked hard—on both the campaign trail and in the Oval Office—to project a Norman Rockwell-esque aura of respectability to the American public, in contrast to the Trump administration’s poorly concealed chaos. Part of that image is represented by the way some colleagues have publicly described Rice as “an extraordinarily generous person” and “full of kindness.” However, the desire to tone down the vitriol of the previous administration is also deeply at odds with another side of Rice’s reputation during the Obama years for running a fiery workplace, filled with “shouting matches,” “insults,” and middle fingers.

Conversations with current and former White House officials suggest that little has changed in the intervening years. Rice regularly excoriates her colleagues, creating an “abusive and dehumanizing environment” according to one source, who spoke to The American Prospect on the condition of anonymity. The vitriol of the Rice-controlled workplace is something of an open secret, with previous reports filed about Department of Health and Human Services staff being yelled at in meeting after meeting.

The Prospect has learned previously unreported details that Rice also berated HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, himself the son of immigrants, alleging incompetence at addressing the processing of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border. At one point during a meeting, where President Biden expressed his displeasure at Becerra’s efforts at HHS, Rice wrote a note to a colleague that said, “Don’t help him,” referring to Becerra.