Katie Zacharia leaving White House press secretary post after less than a week

Katie Zacharia is stepping away from the White House press secretary job only days into her tenure, several news outlets reported Friday.

The outlets described her exit differently. WISH-TV, publishing a CNN report, said presidential advisers characterized it as a firing. The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Anchorage Daily News relied on an unnamed source who said she was "transitioning out." ABC11, citing ABC News sources and a senior administration official, used that same phrase and said two sources expected her to take another administration post, to be disclosed later.

President Donald Trump spoke about her on Friday as he departed the White House for a Georgia rally. "Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider," he said he had told her, according to multiple outlets. He also called her media coverage unfair, said they would talk once his weekend trip ended, and remarked that plenty of people were interested in the position.

Zacharia's first day was Monday, ABC11 reported. The Inquirer said Trump named her on Oct. 9 as successor to Karoline Leavitt.

She held one briefing, on Tuesday. The Anchorage Daily News reported it ran roughly 14 minutes and that only three journalists got to ask questions, each representing an outlet seen as friendly to Trump or conservative in outlook. Zacharia later explained that she wanted to leave room for the president's own exchange with reporters and that aides had not adequately prepared her.

Her credentials drew attention as well. According to the Inquirer, Zacharia, who holds a law degree from Pepperdine University and previously appeared as a conservative TV commentator, had referred to herself as a lawyer despite never passing the bar. She defended using the term for legal commentary and said she had practiced law in China. Trump pointed out that her role was speaking for the White House, not practicing law.

On Fox News Channel Friday, asked whether Trump still trusted her, Zacharia said, "I hope to be able to build the trust and confidence of everyone around me," the Inquirer reported. She did not respond to requests for comment.

Two sources told CNN, as carried by WISH-TV, that Trump at first judged her briefing less severely than some aides did. Her subsequent Fox News interviews, among them a Thursday segment with Sean Hannity, along with conversations with allies, reportedly changed his mind. Another source said the president remains personally fond of her. CNN and ABC News each reported that Zacharia's family planned an evening meal Friday at the home of Vice President JD Vance.

The Inquirer reported she previously handled communications for Trump Media and spent a short stint at the Department of Homeland Security.

Compiled by True News from reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer, WISH-TV, Anchorage Daily News and ABC11. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/165