Key facts
- Katie Zacharia was named President Trump's new White House press secretary.
- Zacharia's first press briefing lasted 14 minutes and involved questions from three outlets.
- Zacharia faced scrutiny regarding her credentials as an attorney.
- Zacharia previously worked as a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman and a senior communications advisor at Trump Media & Technology Group.
- Zacharia described her new role as the "honor of a lifetime" and praised Trump's policies.
Katie Zacharia has been appointed as President Trump's new White House press secretary, stepping into the role amid a period of low popularity for Trump and ahead of midterm elections. Her first press briefing on Tuesday lasted 14 minutes and drew immediate criticism from some journalists and commentators who questioned her readiness for the demanding position.
During the briefing, Zacharia faced questions about her credentials as an attorney, including where she passed the bar exam. She responded that she "practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials" during a period working for a Beijing-based law firm from 2011 to 2013. Trump, in naming Zacharia, highlighted her "unblemished record of support" and described her as a "devoted fan and member of MAGA!"
Zacharia, 41, a graduate of Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, has a background with conservative organizations, including serving on the advisory board for the anti-abortion group The White Rose Resistance. More recently, she was a communications advisor for Trump Media & Technology Group and a frequent pro-Trump commentator on conservative media outlets. She previously served as a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman.
Critics, including former Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki, pointed to the brevity of the briefing and its "awkward" or "stilted" presentation as signs of a "rocky start." However, former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer suggested that the announcement of Kimberly Guilfoyle's requested resignation provided Zacharia with substantive news to deliver. Zacharia herself responded to the backlash in an email to Newsweek, stating she was "grateful to serve" Trump and would "diligently and effectively amplify his successful agenda."