Shortest-serving Press Secretary: Trump fires new White House press chief Katie Zacharia week after appointment
PTC News Desk: White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia may be leaving her position after a brief and difficult tenure as President Donald Trump’s spokesperson. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that she is transitioning out of the role, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision has not yet been publicly announced.
Trump raised doubts about her future on Friday, saying he would speak with her after returning from his weekend travels. He also suggested that she reconsider the job, just a week after announcing her appointment.
Zacharia faced criticism after her first press briefing on Tuesday, where she appeared uncomfortable and delivered hesitant remarks while praising the president and his achievements. The 14-minute briefing was followed by questions about her professional qualifications after it emerged that she had described herself as a lawyer despite not having passed a bar examination or obtained other credentials required to practise law in the US.
Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment on October 9, choosing her to replace Karoline Leavitt, who became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary and had been part of his inner circle for years. The controversy surrounding Zacharia’s appointment brought back memories of several short-lived staff appointments during Trump’s first term.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House before leaving for a rally in Georgia, Trump said he had advised Zacharia to consider whether the position was right for her. He also said she had been treated unfairly by the media.
Trump said he had asked her whether she really needed the job and told her he wanted her to be happy rather than face constant criticism. He compared the media scrutiny she was facing to being “brutalised by the media”.
The president said he would make a final decision after returning from his travels, adding that they would discuss the matter when he got back. When asked who could replace Zacharia, he said several people were interested in the position.
Questions over her legal credentials
Zacharia, a law graduate of Pepperdine University, also faced criticism for calling herself a lawyer while appearing as a commentator on conservative television channels. She defended her use of the term, saying it was appropriate when she provided legal analysis. She also said she had worked as a lawyer in China.
In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Zacharia said she had not been asked whether she had passed a bar examination before being appointed press secretary. Trump later said she had been hired to serve as the White House spokesperson, not as an attorney.
Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked in communications for Trump Media, the company behind the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She also briefly worked at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s second administration.
Zacharia did not respond to requests for comment on Friday, while the White House did not immediately issue a statement.
- PTC NEWS
