The White House recently appointed Katie Zacharia, a former Fox News contributor, as the new press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who recently left the role.
Zacharia has long defended Trump on television and has now been promoted to doing so from the White House podium.
President Donald Trump plays golf in the Senior Club Championship at Trump National Golf Club Jupiter, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Jupiter, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Gahr Store of Norway, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
Zacharia’s first briefing on Tuesday went poorly, with liberals mocking her performance and some Trump supporters speculating she may not stay in the position long.
Questions have also been raised about her background.
Could Not Have Gone Any Worse? A Bad First Impression
“Put it this way: It could have gone better. Way better,” the Poynter Institute said in a story about the inaugural briefing. “In fact, it couldn’t have gone much worse.”
Zacharia was nervous, looking down much of the time, and stammering while delivering a prepared statement.
She spoke for only 14 minutes — eight of them spent reading that prepared statement — and took only three questions from Breitbart, Fox News, and the Daily Mail.
CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins said on TV that she didn’t remember any White House press briefing ever, only taking three questions.
The New York Times called the new press secretary’s initial briefing “a bumpy ride.”
Zacharia said of Trump, “I have wanted to work for him for a very long time.” Later, she accidentally mixed up the president and her husband. When asked whether the U.S. has stopped providing intelligence cooperation to Ukraine, she said she would “have to get back to” the reporter.
She did drop one piece of news, confirming that the White House had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as ambassador to Greece — it had been reported earlier in the day that the White House wanted the former fiancee of the president’s son to step down from that role – but when asked follow-up questions, Zacharia ended the briefing.
The Times noted that, in the past, White House press secretaries from both parties did better when they were part of the president’s inner circle and felt comfortable speaking on the chief executive’s behalf.
That was true of Karoline Leavitt, but less so for Zacharia, who had never worked directly for Trump.
A Legal Question
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that questions have been raised about Zacharia’s background.
Trump introduced the new press secretary as an attorney.
Later, she said she had “passed a bar exam in China,” although noncitizens are not allowed to practice law in China’s courtrooms.
She moved to China with her husband after he got a private equity job there, the Post said.
Zacharia holds a law degree from Pepperdine and is listed on LinkedIn as having served as general counsel for a nonprofit called Fix California.
However, journalist Judd Legum reported this week that Zacharia is not admitted to the California bar, and it’s unclear whether Zacharia is licensed to practice law in any state.
CNN reported that Zacharia “has presented herself as a lawyer but does not meet the requirements in her home state to use that title.”
Another Scaramucci?
After Zacharia’s briefing stumble, a dreaded word was spoken: “Scaramucci.” That’s a reference to Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for 11 days during Trump’s first term in the summer of 2017.
A financial-world veteran, mostly known at the time as a candidate fundraiser, Scaramucci lacked a communications background and quickly stumbled before leaving. Since then, he has built a media profile, mostly as a Trump critic.
Trump’s second term has had less personnel turmoil like that. But whispers already suggest Zacharia’s tenure could be short-lived.
Zacharia also mentioned “record attendance” at Trump’s recent rallies, recalling a different first-term controversy when then-spokesman Sean Spicer falsely claimed in an early briefing that Trump’s inauguration drew the largest crowds ever. Spicer, too, did not last long in the White House.
Kaitlan Collins said after the briefing that White House officials are “questioning how long Katie Zacharia will keep the press secretary job,” as Trump will likely not be happy with displays like Tuesday’s.
The Washington Post reported that Trump chose Zacharia as the new press secretary the night before the announcement, with senior staffers told about the decision shortly before it was announced.
Even Scaramucci speculated that Zacharia could meet a fate like his.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has written thousands of articles on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
