Key facts
- Trump told Zacharia she did not have to take the job if she did not want to.
- Zacharia responded that the job is 'a lot tougher' than she thought.
- Trump said he watched Zacharia on television for years.
- Zacharia failed the bar exam and never retook it.
- Trump said Zacharia had been treated 'very badly' and 'very unfairly' by the media.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he had advised White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia to reconsider her high-profile role, suggesting it was more challenging than she anticipated. Trump's comments came shortly before The New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that Zacharia had been fired after less than a week in the position. Trump stated that Zacharia responded to his suggestion by acknowledging the job's difficulty. He also commented on her legal credentials, noting she had failed the bar exam and never retook it. The president defended Zacharia, saying she had been treated unfairly and very nastily by the media.