White House press secretary Katie Zacharia exits after 5 days
What's new: Her departure followed a brief first briefing and mounting questions over legal credentials she defended despite not passing a bar exam.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia left the job Friday less than a week after taking it, ending a tenure that began Monday and included only one briefing. President Donald Trump told reporters he had given Zacharia the option to step aside, and the White House later confirmed she was transitioning out.
Zacharia’s exit followed a roughly 15-minute debut briefing Tuesday in which she took just three questions. She then faced scrutiny over describing herself as a lawyer despite never passing a bar exam. BBC reported that Zacharia later acknowledged she had not passed the test, while saying she had worked on international transaction law in China with appropriate credentials. Her abrupt departure comes as both parties sharpen messaging ahead of the November midterm elections.