{
  "id": 14933527,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T10:52:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "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 professional credentials. According to Malay Mail and New Straits Times, Zacharia has previously described herself as a lawyer on social media and during television appearances, and has listed herself as general counsel for a conservative nonprofit based in California. While the 41-year-old graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011, she confirmed during a Fox News interview that she did not pass the bar exam.\n\nIn an interview with Real America’s Voice, Zacharia stated she had registered for the exam but was distracted and overwhelmed by plans to move to China with her husband. She remarked that the results were somewhat inconsequential because she knew she would not need the bar in China. Free Malaysia Today reports that Zacharia previously worked at a law firm in Beijing.\n\nZacharia's comments regarding China have also drawn a response from the country's foreign ministry. Free Malaysia Today reports that after Zacharia told influencer Jack Posobiec that China lacked proper toilets, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning suggested Zacharia visit the country more often when she has the opportunity.",
  "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 Nigeria",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:42:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}