Trump ousts White House press secretary Katie Zacharia after 5 days
Why it matters: Her rapid exit followed scrutiny over her legal credentials and a rocky first briefing as midterm campaigns intensify.
Katie Zacharia left as White House press secretary after just five days in the job, ending a short and turbulent stint in one of the administration’s highest-profile roles. President Donald Trump signaled the move before it was made public, saying he had urged her to reconsider staying. Zacharia had come under heavy criticism after a brief first press briefing in which she took only a few questions and leaned on prepared notes. Pressure intensified when questions about her credentials led her to acknowledge that she had failed the California bar exam, despite having been described publicly as an attorney. Democrats quickly cast the departure as another sign of disorder in the Republican White House ahead of the November midterms.