Katie Zacharia Ends First White House Briefing After 15 Minutes

President Donald Trump's new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, concluded her first White House briefing in Washington on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, after fewer than 15 minutes. The session featured questions from only three reporters representing conservative media outlets and included an announcement that the administration had asked U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign following allegations of misconduct, according to NBC News.

Zacharia spent more than half the briefing reading prepared remarks before taking questions from Breitbart, Fox News and the Daily Mail. Her debut came as the administration prepared for November's midterm elections and sought to strengthen public communication about Trump's policies, amid declining approval ratings and criticism of its economic and foreign policy record.

The new press secretary previously worked as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company that owns Truth Social. She also served as a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security for two months, ending that assignment in March, and worked as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative activist organization founded by Richard Grenell, according to CNBC.

Trump announced her appointment on Sunday, October 11, saying Zacharia would begin the following day and hold an introductory news conference on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the administration in August after announcing plans to spend more time with her family.

During the briefing, Zacharia described her responsibilities as an extension of her previous work as a conservative commentator. She said her objective was to communicate the president's agenda in coordination with him and explain his administration's accomplishments to Americans.

"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," Zacharia said during her opening remarks.

She also linked the administration's political messaging to the approaching midterm elections.

"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 continued to emphasize her role in promoting the president's agenda, describing Trump as the central figure in the administration's public communications.

"I get to do what I was doing on the outside already, which was hoping to amplify, multiply and expand upon President Trump’s incredible agenda for the American people," she said in remarks reported by the outlets covering her appointment.

She said she wanted to build on the administration's achievements and ensure the public understood the changes Trump had pursued.

"Now, I hope to only build on, only amplify, and only multiply, to the extent possible, all of the wins that he’s making for Americans, for Americans to understand how much has changed in this brief period of time, what he’s been able to accomplish."

She also described coordination with the president as central to her approach.

"My goal is to be able to communicate that in complete tandem with the president, as he is his own best spokesperson, and will absolutely be leading the way with that," Zacharia said.

In response to a Fox News question about whether the United States had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, Zacharia declined to provide an immediate answer.

"I would have to get back to you on that," she said, according to NBC News.

She also addressed the expanded briefing-room format introduced under Leavitt, including a seat for outlets outside traditional mainstream media. Zacharia said she intended to continue expanding access where possible, and Breitbart occupied that seat during Tuesday's session.

Asked about balancing the position with family responsibilities, Zacharia said her husband and four children would relocate from California to the Washington area.

"I adore my family. I love them. They are my priority," she said.

"I love being with my kids. The idea of not spending evenings with my kids is completely unacceptable."

The short briefing also drew criticism from the publication Yahoo, which characterized Zacharia's delivery as hesitant and awkward. The outlet reported that she described Trump as the most family-friendly president the country had ever had and noted that her remarks ended shortly after she disclosed the administration's request for Guilfoyle to resign.

Yahoo also cited an unnamed White House source who questioned whether Zacharia could quickly improve her performance. The source compared the possibility of a short tenure with Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for 10 days during Trump's first administration before being dismissed.

Trump has acknowledged communication problems within his administration. At a rally in Oklahoma, he said the administration was not doing a good job of public relations, while at another event he criticized its promotion efforts despite praising its governing performance.

The briefing took place as the president prepared for additional campaign appearances ahead of the midterms. An NBC News poll released in September found that 41% of registered voters approved of Trump's performance, the lowest level recorded for his second term at that point. The same poll found broad disapproval of his handling of the economy, as higher fuel prices and inflation remained concerns amid the war in Iran and disputes over tariffs.

Before taking the White House position, Zacharia had appeared on Fox News, Newsmax and CNN as a conservative commentator. In a Fox News interview over the weekend, she described the role as serving the president's communication priorities and praised his plans for a White House ballroom, which he showed her during a visit on Friday.