Trump's Press Secretary Leaves After 5 Days on the Job

Caption: Donald Trump with Katie Zacharia in the Oval Office. Credit: White House, via Wikimedia Commons.

Katie Zacharia is leaving the White House press secretary’s job after five days and a single formal briefing. Her October 16 departure followed President Donald Trump’s public suggestion that she reconsider whether the role was right for her.

Trump announced Zacharia’s selection October 9. She began October 12, replacing Karoline Leavitt, and appeared behind the briefing-room lectern the following day. By Friday, a White House official had confirmed to Reuters that she was being let go.

That compressed timeline included questions about both her performance in the room and her professional background. The first briefing lasted about 14 minutes, according to the Associated Press; The National reported that she took three questions.

A short briefing, then scrutiny

Zacharia said she kept the session brief so Trump could take questions later that morning, AP reported. She also said she had not been fully briefed before facing reporters.

Separately, questions arose about her descriptions of herself as a lawyer. Axios reported that Zacharia acknowledged failing the bar exam and not taking it again. Trump had described her as an attorney when announcing her appointment, The National reported.

The president defended her personally when asked about the controversy Friday. He said he had not hired her to work as a lawyer and considered the criticism unfair. But he also described advising her to consider whether she could be happy in a job that attracted so much attention.

“If I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump said, according to Reuters. His comments put her future in doubt before the White House confirmed the change.

The exit became public that evening

Zacharia did not accompany Trump on his Friday trip to Georgia, according to The National’s account of the official travel roster. The press secretary ordinarily travels with the president.

In a social-media post later that day, she described working for Trump in the past tense and praised him, AP reported. A White House official separately described her as transitioning out of the role, according to The National.

Asked about filling the vacancy, Trump said there were many people who wanted the job. He did not name a successor in that exchange, AP reported.

References: Embattled White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is leaving the job after less than a week | Trump’s new press secretary out after just 5 days in the role | Katie Zacharia out as White House press secretary | White House press secretary Katie Zacharia praises Trump as she leaves job - after five days