Did Trump just fire Katie Zacharia as his new press secretary? Here’s what he said

US President Donald Trump has reportedly fired Katie Zacharia from his position as the White House Press Secretary just a week after her appointment. Trump earlier told reporters that he had asked Zacharia to reconsider her role, but declared that her brief tenure in the job was over. Her exit followed a series of blunders and criticism. Earlier, Zacharia admitted that she pretended to be a lawyer, which sparked more doubts about whether she was suited for the role of White House’s top spokesperson.

“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump told Zacharia Friday (Oct 16) morning, as quoted by CNN. He said that he would speak after returning to the White House following his trip to Georgia, adding that he would leave the decision to her. The report added that Trump did not sound “particularly encouraging” of the press secretary.

“Katie, do you need this?” he said he told her. “I don’t think you need this.”

Meanwhile, Fox News reported, citing a senior White House official, that Zacharia was “transitioning out” of the role.

Zacharia’s turbulent brief tenure

Zacharia had been in the role for just five days after replacing Karoline Leavitt, known for her combative exchanges with journalists. During her tenure, Leavitt helped reshape White House media briefings by giving more access to outlets favourable to Trump while aggressively pushing back against critical coverage.

On Tuesday (Oct 13), Zacharia’s first press briefing got off to a shaky start. The session lasted less than 15 minutes, opening with a slow rundown of what she described as Trump’s achievements before she took just three questions from reporters.

Zacharia faced criticism after describing herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media, where she also identified herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit. Although she holds a law degree, she admitted on Thursday that she had failed the bar exam required to practise law in the US.

She attempted to contain the fallout through interviews with pro-Trump media outlets. On Fox News, Sean Hannity asked whether she had retaken the exam. Zacharia said she had not, explaining that practising law was never her intention. She later cited being overwhelmed by plans to move to China.

During a Friday interview with Fox News, Zacharia was asked whether she still had Trump’s confidence. While she avoided a direct answer, she said that she hoped to earn the trust of those around her.
She also sparked controversy by mocking China’s infrastructure, recalling that she had questioned its rise as a global power because it lacked “proper toilets”. China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning responded on Friday, suggesting Zacharia should “visit China more often.”