Who is Katie Zacharia? New White House Press Secretary under fire over law license claims

New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia faced questions on Wednesday (Oct 14) about her legal career, just days after taking over as US President Donald Trump's chief spokeswoman. Zacharia, who joined the White House on Monday (Oct 12), has said she practiced law before entering politics, and Trump has described her as an attorney. However, new agency Reuters said it could not find records showing she is registered as an attorney or a bar member in any US state or the District of Columbia.

Who is Katie Zacharia?

According to her LinkedIn profile, Zacharia worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. From 2024 to 2025, she was general counsel at Fix California, an advocacy group founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell. In a text message, Grenell said she was "a senior adviser, who did a lot of different roles," including leading the outside counsel the group used. Zhong Lun did not respond to emailed requests for comment, and the White House did not answer questions about her legal background.

In an emailed statement on Wednesday (Oct 14), Zacharia said: "I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials."

Pepperdine University confirmed she earned her law degree in 2011. While nearly all licensed US lawyers first earn such a degree, graduates cannot legally practice law in the country without admission to a state bar. Asked by a reporter on Tuesday where she had passed the bar exam, Zacharia replied, "when I moved to China." Chinese law requires practicing lawyers to be Chinese nationals, and foreign staff may advise and consult on legal matters but cannot practice law.

The questions arise three weeks before November's midterm elections, a period when Trump is seeking to highlight his administration's achievements and help Republicans retain control of Congress. According to two people familiar with the conversations, Trump hired Zacharia after voicing concern about media coverage of his administration and deciding he needed a spokesperson who could better promote his accomplishments. She replaced Karoline Leavitt, who left the White House in August. One official said the timing of the hire, so close to the midterms, surprised some White House staff.

Zacharia's first briefing on Tuesday ended in under 15 minutes, with questions taken from just three reporters. Some media commentators and political analysts criticised her performance, though Trump told reporters, "I thought she was very good."

Renee Knake Jefferson, a University of Houston law professor and legal ethics expert, said the debate is a "fundamental matter of public trust" and goes beyond "professional semantics". She noted that one need not be a lawyer to serve as press secretary but added that the public is entitled to accurate information about whether an official claims a professional role she does not hold.