TRUMP FIRES NEW WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JUST ONE WEEK AFTER APPOINTMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. | OCTOBER 16, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, less than a week after she assumed the position, following criticism of her first official press briefing and questions surrounding her professional credentials.

Zacharia, who was appointed on October 9 to replace Karoline Leavitt, faced scrutiny following her debut White House briefing on October 13. The approximately 14-minute appearance attracted criticism after she took questions from only three reporters. She subsequently defended her performance, saying she had been given limited time to prepare for the briefing.

Additional questions emerged after Zacharia acknowledged during a television interview that she had not passed the bar examination and was not licensed to practise law in the United States. The disclosure prompted further public discussion about her professional background, although a law licence is not a requirement for serving as White House press secretary.

On Friday, Trump publicly questioned Zacharia’s future in the administration, telling reporters that he had advised her to reconsider remaining in the position amid the scrutiny surrounding her appointment. Subsequent media reports indicated that she had been removed from the role.

The reported dismissal marks an unusually brief tenure in one of the White House’s most visible communications positions, with Zacharia departing shortly after her first appearance before the press corps.