Who left the White House podium the fastest? Press secretaries with the shortest stints
Katie Zacharia's short stint renews focus on White House press secretaries who served for days or months under US presidents. Here's a look at them
Katie Zacharia: 5 days
Katie Zacharia's brief tenure as White House press secretary ended after just five days, making her the shortest-serving person in the role, according to reports. President Donald Trump had publicly suggested that she reconsider the job following criticism of her first press briefing and questions about her professional credentials. A White House official said she was transitioning out of the role.
Jake Siewert: About 113 days
Jake Siewert served as White House press secretary under President Bill Clinton from September 2000 until the end of Clinton's presidency in January 2001. His short tenure coincided with the transition to the George W. Bush administration.
Sean Spicer: 182 days
Sean Spicer became Donald Trump's first White House press secretary in January 2017. He resigned in July after Trump appointed Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, amid tensions within the administration's communications team.
Stephanie Grisham: About 282 days
Stephanie Grisham served as White House press secretary from July 2019 to April 2020. She left the position to become chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump. Her tenure was notable because she never held a formal White House press briefing.
Kayleigh McEnany: About 289 days
Kayleigh McEnany succeeded Grisham in April 2020 and served until the end of Trump's first presidency in January 2021. She was the administration's public spokesperson during the final months of Trump's first term.
Karoline Leavitt: About 19 months
Karoline Leavitt became White House press secretary at the start of Trump's second administration in January 2025. She left the position in August 2026, after which Trump appointed Zacharia as her successor.
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