Trump names new press secretary to succeed Karoline Leavitt

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that Katie Zacharia would assume the role of White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt. In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump expressed gratitude for appointing Zacharia, describing her as a "loyal and brilliant supporter" and a "member of the Make America Great Again movement."

Zacharia, a 42-year-old Californian, had previously served as Senior Communications Advisor to Truth Social and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. She expressed her appreciation for Trump's leadership in a post on X, emphasizing the importance of communicating the administration's daily accomplishments to the American people.

Zacharia acknowledged her predecessor Leavitt as "fabulous" and acknowledged the high standards she set for the press secretary position. Trump had previously announced Leavitt's resignation in August to spend more time with her children. Notably, Leavitt recently announced her role with conservative broadcaster Fox News, commencing on November 1.

During her tenure, Leavitt employed a confrontational style when dealing with the White House press corps, once calling a reporter a "left-wing hack" over the fatal ICE shooting of American citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. Leavitt also defended Trump's handling of the Epstein files and the Iran war. She managed to remain in the position for over 18 months, a relatively long tenure for a high-pressure job under a demanding president.

Trump's administration has had four press secretaries throughout his first term, from 2017 to 2021. Zacharia's appointment arrives as Trump faces low approval ratings due to high energy prices, tensions in the Iran war, and the upcoming midterms where Democrats are projected to gain significant congressional seats.