White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is leaving her post after just five days, following intense media scrutiny over her professional credentials and a rocky start in the high-profile role, officials confirmed.
President Donald Trump tapped Zacharia for the position last week to succeed Karoline Leavitt. She held her first briefing on Tuesday, which drew criticism for relying heavily on prepared remarks and taking only three questions from reporters.
Questions quickly arose about whether Zacharia, a graduate of Pepperdine University law school, had misrepresented herself as an attorney. Trump had described her as “an attorney” when announcing the appointment. She later confirmed in a Fox News interview that she did not pass the bar exam.
Earlier on Friday, Trump told reporters he had advised her to reconsider remaining in the job.
“I don’t think Katie should be made to suffer like she’s suffering at the hands of the press,” Trump said as he departed the White House. “I said to her, ‘Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider. You think about it.’”
Zacharia is “transitioning out” of the role, according to reports citing White House officials. Trump said there was no rush to name a replacement and suggested she might continue working for him “in some form, but maybe a more pleasant form.”
Her tenure lasted half as long as that of Anthony Scaramucci, who served 10 days as White House communications director during Trump’s first term.
The abrupt departure comes as Republicans prepare for midterm elections, with some observers noting it could fuel criticism of the administration’s personnel decisions.
