Katie Zacharia’s stint as White House press secretary has reportedly come to an end after only five days, following questions about her professional qualifications and criticism of her first interaction with reporters.
Reports on Friday said Zacharia had been removed from the position, although the White House characterised her exit as a transition out of the role.
President Donald Trump confirmed that he had spoken with Zacharia about her future, indicating that she might decide against continuing in the high-profile job.
Speaking to reporters before travelling to a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump said Zacharia had faced intense treatment from the media.
“I just spoke to her about it. I said, ‘Katie, is this for you?’” he said.
Trump added that he had made it clear to her that she was under no obligation to remain in the position if she no longer wished to do so.
Her departure came less than a week after she was appointed to succeed Karoline Leavitt, who left the White House press secretary position in August.
Zacharia assumed office on Monday, October 12, and held her first press briefing a day later. The session lasted fewer than 15 minutes, with the new press secretary answering questions from just three journalists.
The briefing drew criticism from observers who questioned its short duration and her dependence on prepared notes while addressing reporters.
However, concerns about Zacharia extended beyond her performance at the briefing, with questions also emerging over her legal credentials.
She had been introduced as an attorney despite not having passed a bar examination in the United States. During her first appearance before journalists, a reporter asked where she had taken the bar examination. Zacharia responded, “when I moved to China,” prompting further scrutiny of her professional background.
In later comments, she admitted that she had never passed a bar examination but maintained that she had worked in international transactional law with the appropriate qualifications.
A Reuters investigation found no records indicating that Zacharia had been registered as an attorney or admitted to the bar in any US state or the District of Columbia.
She graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011 and reportedly worked at Zhong Lun, a law firm based in Beijing, from 2011 to 2013. She subsequently moved into communications-related roles, including a position with Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Trump’s Truth Social platform.
The controversy surrounding her appointment and brief tenure has attracted considerable attention as the Trump administration approaches the November midterm elections, which will be critical for Republicans seeking to maintain their control of Congress.
The White House has yet to issue a detailed public explanation of the circumstances surrounding Zacharia’s departure.
Trump’s press secretary, Katie Zacharia exits after five days