Katie Zacharia is stepping down as White House press secretary just a week after taking on the role, following a difficult start, sources indicated. It seems President Trump advised her to “reconsider” the position, suggesting that she didn’t have to continue if she didn’t want to, as he mentioned to reporters on the South Lawn.
A senior official from the White House confirmed that Zacharia is “transitioning out” from her position. Her brief tenure was overshadowed by questions about her qualifications and a shaky initial appearance before the press. Critics have not held back, targeting her as she tried to recover from that rocky debut.
Zacharia was appointed on October 9 and had her first press briefing just a few days later, on October 13. That 14-minute session only included three questions from reporters.
“Maybe it’s not for her,” Trump said while speaking to reporters on Friday.
When asked if this meant she was fired, Trump clarified, stating, “No no. I want her to have a good life.” He went on to express that she had faced harsh treatment from the media.
During an appearance on “Hannity,” Zacharia was questioned about her ability to call herself an attorney. She admitted not passing the bar exam, noting that she had not secured a law license in the U.S. She explained that she had registered for the exam but felt her upcoming move to China made the results irrelevant, thus she chose to sit for the exam just to avoid a withdrawal status.
Zacharia responded to criticism regarding her first briefing, saying, “What I feel is I really stepped up to the plate with very little prep time.” She defended her performance, mentioning that she had only been in the job for a short time and had very little preparation.
Her initial press conference attracted scrutiny for several verbal gaffes, including mistakenly referring to her husband as “my president” before correcting herself. She faced criticism not just for her mistakes but also for the brevity of her briefing, significantly shorter compared to others like Karoline Leavitt and Sean Spicer during their first briefings.
Some White House insiders now speculate that her time may be even shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s famously brief 10-day tenure as communications director in 2017. An unnamed official pointed out that although getting behind the podium is tough, Zacharia didn’t start off on the right foot and would need to improve quickly to avoid breaking Scaramucci’s record.
In the end, her brief media blitz did not suffice to solidify her position, leading to her departure without a chance for another briefing.
The White House, however, reiterated its support for her during inquiries by press outlets. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung praised Zacharia as a “fabulous and wonderful addition to the team,” emphasizing her qualifications and capability to convey President Trump’s messages.
Zacharia, who Trump introduced as an attorney, had served as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group prior to her new role and had also spent a short time as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year.
