{
  "id": 14931646,
  "title": "Trump’s new press secretary admits she failed bar exam",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-admits-she-failed-bar-exam",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T10:42:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/trumps-new-press-secretary-admits-she-failed-bar-exam/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has admitted she failed the bar exam following scrutiny regarding her legal credentials. During a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Zacharia confirmed she did not pass the exam. In a separate interview with Real America’s Voice, she stated she had registered for the exam but was \"distracted and overwhelmed\" by plans to move to China with her husband, adding that the results were \"inconsequential\" because she did not expect to need the bar in China.\n\nThe 41-year-old graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011. Zacharia has previously described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media, and listed herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit. RTE News reports that the group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the State Bar of California, requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia broke the law by presenting herself as a lawyer without a license.\n\nIn a separate matter, Free Malaysia Today reports that China's foreign ministry responded to remarks made by Zacharia regarding the lack of proper toilets in China. Zacharia previously told influencer Jack Posobiec that she recalled thinking China was \"the next country on the horizon\" while noting they \"don't even have proper toilets.\" China's spokeswoman Mao Ning suggested Zacharia visit the country more often.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Trump's new press secretary says China lacked 'proper' toilets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-says-china-lacked-proper-toilets",
        "published": "2026-10-16T06:30:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Trump’s new press secretary says China lacked ‘proper’ toilets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-says-china-lacked-proper-toilets-14907484",
        "published": "2026-10-16T07:35:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "\"Don't Have Proper Toilets\": Trump's New Press Secretary On Her Time In China",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/dont-have-proper-toilets-trumps-new-press-secretary-on-her-time-in",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:15:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Trump’s new press secretary Katie Zacharia defends ‘lawyer’ title despite failing bar exam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-katie-zacharia-defends-lawyer-title",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:49:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "China tells Trump’s press secretary to visit more often after ‘proper toilets’ jibe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/china-tells-trumps-press-secretary-to-visit-more-often-after-proper",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:00:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "New Trump press secretary says she did not pass bar exam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/new-trump-press-secretary-says-she-did-not-pass-bar-exam",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:21:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Trump's new press secretary admits failing bar exam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-admits-failing-bar-exam",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:12:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Trump’s new press secretary admits she failed bar exam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trumps-new-press-secretary-admits-she-failed-bar-exam-14933527",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:52:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}