Trump names new press secretary to succeed Karoline Leavitt

US President Donald Trump has appointed Katie Zacharia as the new White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt. Trump expressed his delight at the appointment, describing Zacharia as a "loyal and brilliant supporter" and a member of the Make America Great Again movement. Zacharia, a 42-year-old California native, previously worked as Senior Communications Advisor to Truth Social and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.

In a post on X, she thanked Trump, stating that his leadership is a blessing to the country. Her primary focus will be to continue delivering strong results for the nation and communicating daily achievements to American people. Zacharia acknowledged her predecessor Leavitt as "fabulous" and emphasized the high standards she set for the press secretary role.

President Trump announced Leavitt's resignation in August to spend more time with her children. During her time as press secretary, Leavitt was known for her combative style towards White House correspondents. She once called a reporter a "left-wing hack" and defended Trump's handling of the Epstein files and Iran war. Leavitt served longer than the average tenure for such a demanding position, which has only seen four press secretaries during Trump's first term - from 2017 to 2021.

Trump currently faces low approval ratings due to high energy prices, the ongoing Iran war, and the upcoming midterms where Democrats are expected to gain significant seats.