White House press secretary Katie Zacharia out after five days
Trump told Zacharia to reconsider the job as questions were raised over whether she had passed the bar exam; she lasted five days.
At a glance
- Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role as White House press secretary five days after being appointed.
- Trump told reporters he advised her to reconsider, saying she should not be made to suffer at the hands of the press.
- Zacharia, a Pepperdine law graduate, told Fox News she did not pass the bar exam; she succeeded Karoline Leavitt.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role just five days after US President Donald Trump appointed her, Al Jazeera has confirmed.
Trump told reporters on Friday that he had advised Zacharia to reconsider staying in the position, pointing to the scrutiny she was facing over her credentials.
"I don't think Katie should be made to suffer like she's suffering at the hands of the press," Trump said as he left the White House. "I said to her, 'Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it.'"
Fox News reported on Friday that Trump said there was no rush to hire a replacement for Zacharia.
Zacharia said she received a call about the job the previous week. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt in the post. When Trump announced the appointment, he described her as an attorney.
Questions over the bar exam
Over the past week, doubt was raised about whether Zacharia, a graduate of Pepperdine University's law school in California, had actually passed the bar exam required to work as an attorney.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, she said she had not passed the bar.
Her time in the job lasted five days — half the length of Anthony Scaramucci's tenure as White House communications director, which ran for 10 days during Trump's first administration.
The confirmation of her departure followed the earlier Fox News report on her exit, which came after Trump's remarks to reporters outside the White House.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Who is Katie Zacharia?
- Katie Zacharia was appointed White House press secretary by Donald Trump and is now transitioning out of the role after five days. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt and graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in California.
- Why did Katie Zacharia leave the White House press secretary job?
- Trump said he told her to reconsider staying, saying she should not be made to suffer under press scrutiny. Questions had also been raised over whether she had passed the bar exam, and she told Fox News she had not.
- How long did Katie Zacharia last as press secretary?
- She was in the job for five days, half the length of Anthony Scaramucci's 10-day tenure as White House communications director during Trump's first administration.
