WASHINGTON, D.C. — Katie Zacharia is exiting the White House press secretary post after five days on the job, a rapid turnaround after a shaky debut briefing and credential questions in Washington.
An administration official speaking without attribution said she is transitioning out of the role. Separate accounts cited three senior officials confirming the same move.
President Donald Trump told reporters he had just spoken with Zacharia before leaving for a Georgia campaign stop and asked whether the job was right for her. He said she had been treated pretty nastily and advised her to reconsider while leaving the choice to her.
Zacharia started Monday and faced heavy criticism after Tuesday morning briefing, when she delivered a long, halting opener off notes and took questions from just three journalists. Scrutiny also focused on whether she is a licensed U.S. attorney.
Asked where she passed the bar while standing with Trump, she answered that it was when she relocated overseas for work in Beijing. In a written reply for follow-up questions, she said she handled international transaction work with the credentials that role required.
She is a Pepperdine law graduate who has worked as a communications adviser for Trump Media and Technology Group and as a conservative television commentator. The White House had not issued a formal termination statement when the transition was reported Friday.
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