Katie Zacharia is leaving her role as White House press secretary under President Donald Trump, Us can confirm.
According to The New York Times and CNN, Zacharia, 41, was fired on Friday, October 16, after just five days on the job.
Fox News, however, reported that Zacharia was “transitioning out” of her role. Trump, 80, also denied she had been fired, telling reporters, “I want her to have a good life. … She’s been brutalized by the media.”
Us has reached out to the White House for comment.
The news comes hours after Trump spoke to reporters and confirmed that he asked Zacharia to reconsider her role.
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump said he told Zacharia on Friday morning. “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this.”
It’s been a week of headlines for Zacharia, who raised eyebrows during her first White House press briefing on Tuesday, October 13. She spent 14 minutes at the podium and took questions from only three outlets.
Soon after, Zacharia’s resume was put into question after the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law graduate claimed to have passed the bar exam when she moved to China.
Multiple outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, reported that they were unable to find a law license for Zacharia in California or anywhere else she has lived in the United States.
The White House, however, still backed Zacharia ahead of her abrupt departure.
“Katie is a fabulous and wonderful addition to the team,” White House spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement to CNN on Thursday, October 15. “She is uniquely qualified and whip-smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as press secretary.”
Although Zacharia has yet to speak out about her exit from the White House, the mother of four previously expressed how excited she was to work within the Trump administration.
“Thank you to President Trump for the distinguished privilege of serving as White House Press Secretary,” she wrote via X on October 9. “Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime. President Trump has shown America that we can be great again, and he works to effectuate that greatness every single day. His confidence is a true privilege, and his leadership is a blessing to this country.”
In a separate post, Trump added, “She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA. I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our country as the next White House Press Secretary.”
