White House Press Secretary Zacharia exits role after short tenure
Quick Look
- Katie Zacharia was dismissed as White House press secretary after just five days in the role, following reports that her claims to be a lawyer were unverified.
- President Trump had suggested she reconsider the job earlier Friday, citing the difficulty of the position.
- Zacharia previously worked as a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax and advised Trump Media and Technology.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Katie Zacharia was appointed White House press secretary last Friday, replacing Karoline Leavitt. She had previously worked as a commentator for conservative media outlets Fox News and Newsmax and advised Trump Media and Technology. Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer, but her credentials have been questioned due to lack of evidence of bar admission.
New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has been let go from her position, the New York Times and other US news outlets reported on Friday.
Zacharia started her new job just five days ago, taking over for Karoline Leavitt.
Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump suggested that Zacharia might be leaving. "I told her: 'I think you're better off being happy, and I'm not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.' There's nothing easy about this stuff," Trump told reporters.
He added: "I said to her honestly, 'If I were you, I'd reconsider... think about it. But I would reconsider.'"
Last Friday, Trump announced Zacharia's appointment as the new press secretary. However, she became embroiled in controversy when her previous claims to be a lawyer were revealed to be false.
What do we know about Zacharia
Until last week, Zacharia was a commentator for conservative outlets Fox News and Newsmax. She also advised the Trump Media and Technology, the company behind Trump's Truth Social platform.
Zacharia has also long described herself as a lawyer, but her credentials remain unverified. Neither she nor the White House has provided evidence that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China, where she worked for a large law firm years ago.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Zacharia was an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. She was also a general counsel at Fix California, an advocacy group founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell, from 2024 to 2025.
Zacharia earned her law degree from Pepperdine University in 2011. While nearly all licensed US lawyers first obtain a law degree, law school graduates cannot legally practice law in the US without first being admitted to a state bar.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The White House will appoint a new press secretary within the week
Likely · Within days
Zacharia will not return to a formal role in the Trump administration
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Did the White House conduct a background check before appointing Zacharia?
- Will Zacharia face any legal consequences for falsely claiming to be a lawyer?
- Who will replace Zacharia as White House press secretary?
