United States President Donald Trump’s newly appointed press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is leaving her position barely days after taking up the role, following a rocky debut at the White House and mounting scrutiny over her professional credentials.
The White House confirmed on Friday that Zacharia was “transitioning out” of her position, although it did not immediately provide a timeline for her departure.
The development came less than an hour after Trump told reporters that he had advised Zacharia to reconsider whether she wanted to continue in the demanding role.
“I said: ‘Is this for you, Katie, because honestly you don’t need this. You don’t have to be treated this badly,’” Trump said, defending her against what he described as harsh media treatment.
Zacharia’s departure followed a turbulent first week that began with her appointment on October 9 and her first press briefing on Tuesday.
The briefing lasted about 14 minutes and attracted criticism from observers who described her performance as nervous and poorly prepared.
The briefing reportedly ended after only three questions from journalists, raising questions about her readiness to serve as the administration’s principal spokesperson.
Beyond her performance, Zacharia faced scrutiny over her legal credentials after Trump introduced her as an attorney.
Reports indicated that she had graduated from law school but had not passed the United States bar examination, prompting questions about the accuracy of her professional description.
A complaint was also filed with the California State Bar Association on Wednesday following the controversy.
Before her appointment, Zacharia, 42, was a conservative political commentator and a frequent guest on Fox News and Newsmax. She had also worked briefly as a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security and as a communications adviser for Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
Despite the mounting criticism, Trump had initially praised her performance, saying on Tuesday that she had done “very good”. By Friday, however, he was publicly questioning whether she should remain in the position, while maintaining that the media had treated her unfairly.
Zacharia had also appeared on Fox & Friends on Friday, where she was asked whether she still had the president’s confidence. She responded that she hoped to build the confidence and trust of those around her.
Her exit comes at a critical political moment for Trump and the Republican Party, with the November midterm elections approaching and the administration facing several controversies.
