Trump's new press secretary's 'awkward' briefing

Newly appointed White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has faced criticism following a 14-minute news briefing that The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age described as stilted and lightning quick.

During the briefing on Tuesday, Zacharia faced questions regarding her legal credentials after stating she passed a bar exam "when I moved to China" without specifying the jurisdiction. While Zacharia has repeatedly described herself as a lawyer, a review by the South China Morning Post of attorney registration records in New York, the District of Columbia, California, Texas, and Florida found no listing for her. Her LinkedIn profile indicates she worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013.

The South China Morning Post noted that passing a bar examination and being admitted to practice law are separate steps, and the record searches do not establish if Zacharia passed an exam. Additionally, an official told NBC News that Zacharia moved to China with her husband after law school due to his job at an American private equity firm.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, South China Morning Post, Reuters Business via SCMP — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.