New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia defends her legal background and short first briefing

Katie Zacharia, the newly appointed White House Press Secretary, is under scrutiny regarding her legal background. President Trump described her as a "distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law" and an "attorney" during her confirmation. However, the White House has not provided any proof that she passed the bar exam in any U.S. state or China, where she reportedly worked for a law firm years ago.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Zacharia failed the California bar in 2011 after graduating from law school at Pepperdine University. At her first press conference, she only answered three questions when asked about her bar exam status, following a report by the independent outlet Popular Information. In response, she mentioned that she had passed the bar in China, but it is unclear what she intended to say.

Zacharia holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pepperdine University and is currently a member of the Dean’s Council at the same institution. She has worked as a political commentator for conservative outlets, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and a senior communications advisor for Truth Social. She also served as general counsel for Fix California, a group founded by Richard Grenell.

Despite her background, White House communications director Steven Cheung praised her as "uniquely qualified and whip smart" to inform the American people about President Trump's administration.