Trump trip, 14-min briefing & bar exam admission: Inside Katie Zacharia’s 5 days as Press Secretary before being fired

On October 9, President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Katie Zacharia as the White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt. Zacharia's first official day in the role was Monday, October 12. On Tuesday, October 13, she held her first and only press briefing, lasting about 14 minutes and answering questions from only three journalists representing Breitbart, Fox News and the Daily Mail.

Despite her best efforts, Zacharia received criticism for appearing nervous and relying heavily on her notes during the briefing. She made a notable mistake when she referred to her husband as "my president" and later corrected herself. During the briefing, she discussed the administration's achievements, including employment, border security and energy production.

Trump advised Zacharia to reconsider the job on October 11, prompting her departure just five days later on Friday, October 16. Questions about her legal credentials intensified after she incorrectly stated that she had passed the bar examination in China, which reports indicated she had not obtained a license to practice law in the United States.

Zacharia later admitted during an interview with Sean Hannity that she had not passed the California bar exam, explaining that she had been preparing for it before moving to China due to her husband's work. She defended her statement, emphasizing that she had never come across as an attorney at law. Trump expressed his desire for Zacharia's happiness, suggesting she reconsider the role and did not want her to be treated harshly by the media.