WASHINGTON, D.C. — Katie Zacharia is leaving her position as White House press secretary after only five days, following a difficult first briefing and questions about her legal credentials, according to multiple news reports.
NBC News reported that two senior administration officials, another administration official and a source familiar with the decision confirmed her departure. One senior official said Zacharia would move into a different role, with further details to be announced later.
President Donald Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment on October 9. Her brief tenure began amid expectations that the conservative media commentator would take on a prominent role in communicating the administration’s agenda ahead of the November midterm elections.
Her first White House briefing, held on Tuesday, lasted less than 15 minutes and drew criticism. She answered only a handful of questions and was unable to provide a clear response when asked whether the United States had halted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
During the same briefing, Zacharia announced that Trump had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, to resign. Guilfoyle subsequently announced her resignation and denied allegations of misconduct.
Questions about Zacharia’s professional background intensified after reports emerged that she had not passed the California bar examination. Zacharia, a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, acknowledged in a television interview that she had taken the exam but failed and had not attempted it again. She has defended her use of the term “lawyer,” citing her legal education and professional experience.
NBC News also reported that it found no evidence that she held a licence to practise law in any US state. The watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar, asking it to examine whether her use of the title violated professional rules. The complaint does not itself establish that any violation occurred.
Trump had expressed doubts about whether Zacharia should remain in the role. Speaking to reporters on Friday, he said the media had treated her harshly and indicated that he had encouraged her to reconsider the position if it made her unhappy.
Zacharia previously served as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who held the press secretary post from the beginning of Trump’s second term before stepping down.
Her departure makes for an exceptionally brief tenure in a role that serves as a central point of contact between the White House and the press. Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director during Trump’s first term in 2017, held that position for 11 days.
The White House has yet to announce who will take over the press secretary’s responsibilities permanently.
