White House Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia, is leaving her position after a brief and controversial start, following criticism of her first briefing and questions about her professional qualifications.
A White House official confirmed her departure to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, describing her as “transitioning” out of the role.
The development followed advice from US President Donald Trump, who suggested that she reconsider continuing in the position.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he had encouraged Zacharia to rethink her decision to take the job, citing the intense criticism she had received from the media.
“I said to her, ‘Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider. You think about it,’” Trump said.
Zacharia was appointed on October 9 as the successor to Karoline Leavitt.
She held her first White House press briefing on October 13, but the session attracted criticism over her performance and preparedness for the high-profile role.
The briefing lasted approximately 15 minutes, during which she answered questions from three reporters.
Beyond the criticism of her debut, Zacharia faced scrutiny over her legal credentials.
In an interview with Fox News, she acknowledged that she had failed the California bar examination and did not hold a licence to practise law in the United States.
Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011.
She explained that she moved to China with her husband after taking the examination and maintained that her subsequent work with a Chinese law firm did not require a licence to practise law.
Before joining the White House, she worked as a conservative political commentator and held communications positions at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind Trump’s Truth Social platform.
She also briefly worked in the Department of Homeland Security’s press office.
Trump defended Zacharia amid the controversy, saying she had been subjected to harsh media treatment. He also expressed concern about the personal toll of the demanding position.
Her departure adds to the list of brief tenures among senior communications officials in the Trump administration.
Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director during Trump’s first administration, held the position for 10 days in 2017.
As of Friday, the White House had not announced who would replace Zacharia.
Reports suggested she might continue working in another capacity within the administration, although no new position had been confirmed.
