Trump publicly suggested that she reconsider the job, although the White House described her departure as a transition out of the role rather than announcing a conventional dismissal.
Katie Zacharia – née Black, a conservative political commentator and communications specialist, previously worked as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She also spent a short period at the US Department of Homeland Security.
Although she graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school, questions about her professional background quickly became central to the controversy. Zacharia had described herself as a lawyer, but confirmed in a Fox News interview that she had not passed the California bar exam and did not hold a licence to practise law in the United States. The criticism intensified after her first and only White House press briefing on 13 October. It lasted approximately 14 minutes, during which she took questions from just three reporters, all representing conservative-leaning or Trump-friendly outlets. Her hesitant delivery and responses drew criticism, while she said she had received little preparation time and had not been fully briefed by White House staff. The scrutiny of her legal credentials further undermined her start in the role, with a complaint reportedly filed with the California State Bar over her claims.
Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who had served as Trump’s press secretary before leaving the position in August 2026. Leavitt, who became the youngest person ever to hold the role, was a close member of Trump’s political circle and had previously worked on his campaigns. Before Leavitt, the position during Trump’s second administration had been held by a more experienced communications team, while his first term was marked by frequent personnel changes. Zacharia’s five-day tenure is believed to be the shortest in the history of the White House press secretary role, even shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s 10-day stint as White House communications director in 2017.
Trump defended Zacharia personally, saying he believed the media had treated her unfairly and that he wanted her to be happy, but publicly advised her to reconsider the job. Although he initially denied that he had fired her, Reuters reported that White House officials described her as having been let go and transitioning out of the position. Zacharia also posted a message thanking Trump for the opportunity. The White House has not announced a permanent replacement, leaving the administration to find a new spokesperson at a politically sensitive time, just weeks before the November midterm elections.
