We all thought Anthony Scaramucci’s record for the shortest tenure as White House Press Secretary was unbreakable until Katie Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt. At the very least, two people will tie for the unenviable professional record at the White House.
Zacharia had a brief grace period during her first press conference, which arguably wasn't good: she had moved her family and received the briefing materials that morning. The stuff about her passing the bar exam wasn't good either, though some treated it as if she'd committed second-degree murder. Still, lying on a resume to land a top White House job is unfathomable, but her interview with Hannity wasn’t much better, and if I had to guess, that's what led to this intervention. She was unprepared again and just doesn't command the role, and she had time. Can't have it. Not at this stage.
Re: Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Failing the California bar exam the first time is normal. Who cares? But this is not the issue. What is not normal is failing the exam and then lying for years about being a lawyer or attorney to get on television. It is illegal in California to present as a lawyer or attorney and especially to practice law without passing the bar. Presenting this way after passing the ethics exam - before failing the bar - makes it worse because an individual would know it is not okay. She did it anyway. Lying to the President of the United States about your resume to land a job is a big deal. The President incorrectly and repeatedly stated she was an attorney because for years she said so. I’d hope more people would be upset about that. The issue is the dishonesty. All of this was preventable. What a shame.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) October 15, 2026
Today, well, President Trump opened the door for her to quit, and it wasn’t subtle at all. Though he admitted she’s being put through the
Just now: President Trump opening the door for @KatieZacharia to quit: “She’s been treated, I would say, very nastily. And I said to her Katie… you don’t have to do this.” Are you going to keep her? “I’m going to let her make that decision” “Honestly if I were you I’d reconsider”
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) October 16, 2026
BREAKING: President TRUMP opens the door for a WH Press Sec replacement -- He tells reporters he told Katie ZACHARIA "you don't have to do this if you don't want to... honestly if I were you I'd reconsider." Wow.
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) October 16, 2026
Trump tells the press he told Katie Zacharia "you don't have to do this if you don't want to [...] honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider." "I said, 'Katie, is this for you?' Cause she's been treated very rough [...] I'm gonna let her make that decision." https://t.co/JMM8RvH9U7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 16, 2026
“She’s been treated, I would say, very nastily. And I said to her Katie… you don’t have to do this.”
Are you going to keep her?
“I’m going to let her make that decision”
“Honestly if I were you I’d reconsider”
We’ll see what happens, but yikes.
UPDATE: She's transitioning out of the position.
A senior White House official tells @pdoocy Katie ZACHARIA is “transitioning out” of the press secretary position.
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) October 16, 2026
President Trump said to Press Secretary @KatieZacharia : "Honestly if I were you I'd reconsider, you think about it.” He said he will let her make that decision. "Maybe it's not for her,” he says. Trump said he will talk to her “when I get back” from Georgia.
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) October 16, 2026