US President Donald Trump has fired Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary after just five days in the role, following a troubled debut and mounting questions about her professional background, according to reports citing presidential advisers.
Key Highlights
- Trump removes Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary after five days.
- Her first briefing on October 13 lasted under 15 minutes, with only three questions answered.
- She acknowledged she had never passed the US bar exam despite being introduced as an attorney.
- Her tenure is reportedly the shortest of any press secretary across Trump’s two administrations.
- Trump says she was treated unfairly by the media and remains a loyal supporter.
The decision came hours after Trump publicly urged Zacharia to reconsider her position, suggesting she was not suited to the pressure associated with being the administration’s chief spokesperson.
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump said he had told Zacharia on Friday.
He added that he would speak with her upon returning to the White House but indicated that he did not believe she needed to remain in the position.
A White House official told reporters that Zacharia was “transitioning out” of the role, while a presidential adviser said she was expected to leave the White House within days.
Trump, however, maintained that Zacharia had been treated unfairly by the media, describing her as a loyal supporter and praising her personally despite the decision to end her brief tenure.
Troubled Debut
Zacharia’s departure followed a difficult first appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, October 13, when she appeared nervous and answered only three questions during a session that lasted less than 15 minutes.
Her performance attracted criticism from journalists and reportedly raised concerns among some White House officials about her preparedness for the high-profile position.
Further scrutiny emerged over her legal credentials after Trump introduced her as an attorney when announcing her appointment.
Zacharia subsequently acknowledged in interviews that she had never passed the US bar examination, prompting questions about the description of her professional qualifications.
She faced additional pressure during television appearances, including an interview on Fox News with Sean Hannity on Thursday night.
According to sources cited by CNN, Trump’s initial assessment of her first briefing was less critical than that of some of his advisers. However, her subsequent interviews and discussions with allies reportedly contributed to the decision to remove her.
One person familiar with Trump’s comments said the president had questioned whether Zacharia was ready for the demands of the position.
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Shortest Tenure Under Trump
Zacharia’s five-day tenure would make her the shortest-serving press secretary during Trump’s two administrations, according to CNN.
Her appointment followed a rapid selection process in which other potential candidates were reportedly ruled out over critical comments they had previously made about the president.
Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked as a conservative political commentator and held communications roles, including work connected to Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
Despite her departure from the spokesperson role, sources close to the president said Trump continued to respect her personally.
Journalists reported that Zacharia and her family were scheduled to have dinner with Vice President JD Vance and his family at the vice president’s residence on Friday, suggesting that her departure might not signal a complete breakdown in her relationship with the administration.
The development marks another change in Trump’s communications team as his administration manages public scrutiny over appointments, messaging and the performance of senior officials.
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