- Trump fired Katie Zacharia after just five days.
- Her exit followed a rocky debut and media scrutiny.
- Questions arose about her legal credentials and briefing.
US President Donald Trump has fired White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia after just five days in the role, according to The New York Times. Her exit came after a rocky debut before reporters, mounting questions about her professional credentials and Trump’s public suggestion that she reconsider the job.
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn on Friday as he left for Georgia, Trump said he had advised Zacharia to reconsider whether she wanted to continue in the demanding position. He said the media had treated her unfairly and that she did not need to endure the pressure associated with the role.
“I told Katie in my opinion she was treated very unfairly,” Trump said, adding that she had been “brutalised by the media”.
“I just think the press has been very tough on Katie and I said, 'there's no reason you have to go through this,'” he said.
Trump also said he had reminded Zacharia that she had a good life and family outside the job. When asked who could replace her if she left, he said many people would be interested in the position.
Katie Zacharia's 14-Minute Briefing Draws Criticism
Zacharia’s departure followed an awkward first appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, October 13. The briefing lasted around 14 minutes, during which she took questions from reporters representing three media outlets and relied heavily on prepared remarks praising Trump and his administration.
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One moment that attracted widespread attention came when she accidentally referred to Trump as “my husband” before correcting herself. Her actual husband is Tyler Zacharia, an entertainment and investment executive. The verbal slip circulated widely on social media, with critics questioning her preparedness for the role.
She also faced questions about whether the United States had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Zacharia did not give a direct answer, telling the reporter, “I'll have to get back to you on that.”
The question remained a key talking point after the briefing, while her short appearance and hesitant delivery drew further criticism. Trump initially defended her performance, saying, “She was doing a good job, but we didn't like what we were reading, so we're making a change.”
Legal Credentials Come Under Scrutiny
Questions about Zacharia’s legal background added to the scrutiny during her first week in office. Trump had introduced her as an attorney when announcing her appointment, but she acknowledged during a Fox News interview that she had failed the California bar exam in 2011 and had not retaken it.
Reuters reported that it could not find records showing she was registered as an attorney or a member of the bar in any US state or the District of Columbia. Zacharia has defended her professional background, saying she had worked in international transaction law.
The controversy followed her appointment on October 9 to succeed Karoline Leavitt, who left the position in August. Zacharia began work on Monday and held her first briefing the following day.
Who Is Katie Zacharia?
Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked as a communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She had also appeared on conservative news outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax, and briefly served as a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security.
Her departure after five days makes her tenure one of the shortest in the history of the White House press secretary’s office.
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