Exactly one week after he announced he was hiring conservative TV commentator Katie Zacharia as his next White House press secretary, President Donald Trump has fired her after a dismal performance at her first briefing was followed by days of questions over whether she’d lied about being licensed to practice law, reports BritPanorama.
A White House official confirmed that Zacharia had been dismissed just moments after Trump departed for a rally in Georgia on the way to a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
In a question-and-answer session with reporters, Trump expressed that his choice for spokesperson had been treated “very, very badly, very unfairly” by news outlets, including a tough grilling by Fox News host Sean Hannity. He indicated that he had discussed with Zacharia whether she wanted to remain under such intense media scrutiny.
“I said to Katie just two minutes ago, I said, Katie, you know, you don’t have to do this … the news has been so nasty to her. I’ve never seen anything like it. And I said to her honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump stated. Zacharia’s short tenure of only five days sets a new record for the shortest time served in the role, exceeding the 11-day record held by Anthony Scaramucci from Trump’s first term.
The previous record was set by Scaramucci, who was hired as communications director in July 2017 but was also sacked after just one briefing. Scaramucci marked the occasion on social media, saying, “Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”
When asked what he wished for Zacharia moving forward, he replied, “I just want her to be happy,” adding he did not want her to continue suffering from media scrutiny.
Trump reached out to Zacharia without consulting his Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, which reportedly led to discussions about her future and sparked a power struggle within the White House. Amid this turmoil, Zacharia had attracted Trump’s attention through her appearances on various right-wing media outlets.
She officially began her role on Monday and held her first briefing the following day, where she left reporters taken aback after her initial 14-minute appearance. Zacharia spent considerable time reading from a script and taking limited questions, eventually confusing the president with her husband and announcing the firing of U.S. ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
At that time, White House officials maintained Trump still had confidence in her. However, her awkward debut quickly led to scrutiny over her professional credentials, particularly as she had referred to herself as a “lawyer” despite not holding a valid law license in any state.
A graduate of Pepperdine University’s law school, she faced intense questioning during her first briefing when reports emerged that she had failed the California bar exam and had not retaken it. The scrutiny intensified after allegations surfaced that she had inaccurately identified herself as a licensed attorney in multiple media appearances.
During her press appearances, she attempted to explain her situation but struggled to answer direct questions regarding her bar exam history. Hannity notably pressed her about her legal status, to which she ultimately conceded she had never retaken the exam after failing it initially.
In the wake of this controversy, Zacharia also indicated to Fox & Friends that there had been no inquiries about her legal credentials prior to her hiring, further complicating her standing within the administration.
The abrupt dismissal of Zacharia underscores the volatility of communications in the Trump administration and raises questions about the selection process for key roles within the White House. Her brief time in office reflects an ongoing struggle for the administration to navigate personnel choices amid a challenging media landscape.
