International
oi-Ashish Rana
Katie Zacharia’s time as White House press secretary ended after just five days. Her first press briefing attracted criticism, and questions soon arose about her legal qualifications. US President Donald Trump later said he had advised her to think again about taking the job.
Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure as White House press secretary concluded on October 16 following criticism of her initial briefing and questions about her legal qualifications; President Trump reportedly advised her to reconsider the role.
White House officials confirmed her departure on Friday, October 16. However, she may continue working in the Trump administration in a different role.
How Katie Zacharia’s White House Career Began
US President Donald Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment on October 9. She replaced Karoline Leavitt, who had served as White House press secretary.
Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked in communications for Trump Media, the company behind Truth Social. She also briefly worked at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s second administration.
However, her first press briefing did not go as expected. She appeared nervous while speaking to reporters and read from a script about Trump’s achievements. She then answered questions from only three journalists before ending the session.
According to The Associated Press, the interaction lasted around 14 minutes. Zacharia later explained that she wanted to keep it short because Trump was scheduled to speak to reporters later that morning.
She did not hold another press briefing before leaving the position. Instead, she travelled with Trump to rallies in Alaska, Arizona and Montana.
Questions Over Her Law Degree And Bar Exam
Soon after her first briefing, Zacharia faced questions about her legal qualifications.
She had described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media. However, although she graduated from Pepperdine University law school, she had not passed the California bar examination.
Passing the bar exam is required to practise law in California. Reuters also reported that it could not find records showing that Zacharia was admitted to practise law in any US state or the District of Columbia.
Zacharia defended her background and said she had worked on international legal matters.
In a statement to Reuters, she said, “I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.”
Fox News host Sean Hannity also questioned her about the issue. He asked why she had not clearly explained that she attended law school but did not pass the bar exam.
Zacharia later said she had not been asked about her exam results before taking the White House job. Trump also said he had hired her for communications work, not to serve as a lawyer for his administration.
What Trump Said Before Her Exit
On Friday, October 16, Trump spoke about Zacharia’s future while answering questions from reporters at the White House.
He said he believed the media had treated her unfairly and was concerned about the pressure she faced.
“I told her, ‘I think you’re better off being happy,'” Trump said.
He also recalled advising her to think carefully about whether she wanted to continue in the role.
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” he said.
Trump added that he had asked her, “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this.”
The president said he wanted Zacharia to have a good life and did not want her to face constant criticism from the media.
Later that day, White House officials confirmed that she was leaving the position. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said she would move to another role in the administration, with an announcement to follow.
Katie Zacharia Praises Trump After Losing Her Job
After her departure, Zacharia posted a message on X praising Trump and thanking him for the opportunity to work in his administration.
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him,” she wrote.
President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to.It was an honor to work for him. https://t.co/Tp4NizrhE2
— Katie Zacharia (@KatieZacharia) October 17, 2026
Her five-day tenure was even shorter than that of Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for 10 days in 2017 during Trump’s first administration.
Reacting to Zacharia’s departure, Scaramucci wrote on X, “Records are made to be broken.” He added, “But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”
Zacharia’s departure marks another sudden change in Trump’s White House team. However, she may not be leaving the administration altogether, as officials have said she is expected to take up another role.
