WASHINGTON  — President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to the final daily press briefing on Tuesday with White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

Obama praised Earnest for “his smarts and his maturity,” but added that one of his best qualities has been his integrity.

In May of 2014,  Earnest replaced Jay Carney as the White House Press Secretary.

Earnest attended Rice University, where he majored in political science and policy studies. He joined then-Senator Obama’s presidential campaign in March 2007 as his Iowa Communications Director.

He attended the private Barstow school in Kansas City.

Obama says Earnest is “tough and didn’t always give you guys what you wanted,” but that he tried to make sure to share as much of the administration’s vision and policy as possible.

Watch Earnest’s final press briefing here

Earnest praised the journalists attending the briefing, saying that they serve a role that is a “uniquely American feature of our government.

He said, “it’s made President Obama a better president and a better civil servant.”