Trump Sacks White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Just Days After Her Appointment
Newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role just days after her highly criticized debut briefing.
The former Truth Social advisor was appointed to the White House to replace Karoline Leavitt, who vacated the role in August.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn on Friday, President Donald Trump revealed that he encouraged Zacharia to reconsider her position.
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump recounted telling her. He cited “very unfair” and “nasty” media treatment as the driving force behind the conversation, noting that he told her she did not have to subject herself to such scrutiny.
Zacharia’s first and only formal press briefing on Tuesday lasted just 14 minutes. She reportedly struggled through her prepared remarks, made a slip of the tongue by referencing her husband as “my president,” and abruptly ended the session after answering only three questions.
Following her bumpy introduction to the White House press corps, reports surfaced questioning her legal qualifications. The administration faced a barrage of headlines over whether Zacharia had misrepresented herself as a licensed lawyer when she had failed to pass the bar exam. Her response was that she responded, “when I moved to China,” drawing a puzzled look from Trump.
Trump has defended his outgoing spokesperson, claiming the news media treated her “very badly.” However, after a tough interview on Fox News with Sean Hannity, the pressure intensified, leading to her swift departure exactly one week after her initial appointment was announced.
