- Katie Zacharia fired five days into press secretary role.
- Briefing difficulties, legal credential questions preceded White House departure.
- Zacharia defended actions, praised Trump, leaving position vacant now.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was reportedly fired just five days after taking up the role, while she was being interviewed by The Wall Street Journal at her desk in the West Wing.
According to the newspaper, Zacharia was speaking to its reporters around 1 pm on Friday when Jason Miller, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, knocked on her door.
“JD wanted to chat with us real quick,” Miller reportedly told her, referring to Vice President JD Vance. Zacharia subsequently left the interview and did not return.
Trump later told reporters at his helipad that he had urged Zacharia to reconsider her position, saying, “I said, ‘Is this for you Katie? Because honestly, you don’t need this.’”
He added, “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider.”
Zacharia’s Brief White House Tenure
Zacharia’s departure followed a difficult debut as White House press secretary on Tuesday. During her first briefing, she spoke for just 14 minutes and took three questions, according to reports. She also faced criticism over her delivery and reliance on a script.
The 42-year-old had taken over the role following Karoline Leavitt’s departure. Before joining the White House press team, Zacharia had worked on the conservative radio programme The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.
Her short tenure also drew attention because of questions about her legal credentials. Trump had described her as an attorney, but she later acknowledged that she had not passed the bar exam.
During her first briefing, Zacharia was asked where she had passed the exam and replied that she had done so while living in China. On Thursday, following further questioning, she clarified that she had not passed the bar but had practised international transaction law in China with what she described as the “appropriate credentials”.
She also faced tough questions during an interview with conservative commentator Sean Hannity on Fox News. Hannity asked why she had not simply said that she had never practised law, and questioned whether she believed White House staff should have prepared her better for the role.
Zacharia Responds After Being Fired
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal later on Friday, Zacharia said she had tried to do her best despite having limited time and information.
“I did everything in my power to effectuate a briefing in the limited time and information I had,” she said. “My goal was to serve President Trump and the American people to the best of my ability.”
In a social media post, she praised Trump and expressed gratitude for having worked for him.
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him,” she wrote.
“No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him.”
Shortest Tenure In Trump’s Press Team
Zacharia’s exit is reportedly the shortest tenure among members of Trump’s White House press team. During his first term, communications director Anthony Scaramucci left his post after 10 days.
Her departure also leaves the White House press secretary position vacant less than three weeks before the US midterm elections.
