Zacharia Ends First White House Briefing After Three Questions

Katie Zacharia's first briefing as White House press secretary lasted about 15 minutes on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during which she answered only three questions. Her debut came as President Donald Trump's administration prepared for the midterm elections, while questions about her professional background emerged in a separate report examining whether she holds a license to practice law in the United States.

Zacharia, 42, previously worked as a senior adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social. She has also appeared as a commentator on Fox News, Newsmax, and CNN. Her appointment was announced by Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, according to The New Republic.

During her opening remarks, Zacharia thanked Trump for appointing her and described the administration's approach to the upcoming midterm elections. She also characterized Trump in favorable terms, calling him the most family-friendly president the country had ever had.

Addressing her appointment, Zacharia said, "I want to thank President Trump. For his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very.

Long. time. I’m looking forward to working with each of you as well," according to the briefing account published by The New Republic.

She then turned to the election campaign, saying, "Especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz. With energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms—thanks to President Trump."

Zacharia also described Trump as "the most family-friendly president we’ve ever had." During the briefing, she announced that the administration had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, to resign. The New Republic connected the announcement to allegations of a pay-to-play scandal involving Guilfoyle.

An unnamed White House source told MS NOW that Zacharia needed to improve quickly to avoid an exceptionally short tenure. The source said, "Getting behind the podium is tough, but she got off on the wrong foot. She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she’ll break Scaramucci’s record."

Anthony Scaramucci served as White House communications director and de facto press secretary for 10 days during Trump's first term before being dismissed, according to The New Republic.

A separate report by Judd Legum of Popular Information questioned Zacharia's claim to have legal credentials. Although her LinkedIn profile indicates that she earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011, Legum reported that searches of state bar association databases found no record of her being licensed in any state or Washington, D.C.

The White House responded to Legum's inquiry by directing him to Trump's Friday announcement, which described Zacharia as a "distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax." The administration did not provide additional evidence supporting her professional history, according to the report.

While addressing reporters alongside Trump on Tuesday, Zacharia said she had passed the bar when she "moved to China." Her LinkedIn profile lists a period in China from 2011 to 2013, when she worked as a law associate and communications manager for an international children's rights organization.

Legum's report found no indication that Zacharia had taken or passed a U.S. bar examination during that period. It also noted that foreign nationals generally cannot qualify to practice Chinese law under the country's restrictions on legal practice.

The report also highlighted Zacharia's previous public statements about abortion medication and her promotion of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory on Truth Social. Pizzagate falsely accused Hillary Clinton and other prominent Democrats of involvement in a child sex trafficking ring operating beneath a Washington restaurant. In 2016, an armed man fired shots inside the restaurant after traveling from North Carolina, but found no evidence of the alleged operation.