Trump fires Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary after five days

President Donald Trump removed Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary on October 16, 2026, five days after she began the job. White House officials confirmed she was transitioning out of the role shortly after the president told reporters he had encouraged her to reconsider the position.

Zacharia, a Fox News commentator, was announced for the role on October 9, succeeding Karoline Leavitt. Trump had referred to her as an attorney. She graduated from Pepperdine University Law School in 2011 but failed the California bar exam and never became licensed to practice. She had described herself as an attorney in media appearances. In her first briefing on October 13, she read largely from a script and took only three questions before ending the session after about 14 minutes.

Scrutiny intensified after the Wall Street Journal and others reported the bar exam failure. Zacharia later acknowledged it in interviews. Trump said on October 16, before departing for a campaign event in Georgia, that he had spoken with her and told her, “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider.” He added that she had been treated roughly by the media and that he wanted her to be happy. Aides described the decision as a firing.

Her tenure is the shortest recorded for a White House press secretary or communications director in recent administrations, shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s 11 days in 2017. The episode highlights the risks of rapid personnel choices and the speed with which credential questions can force a change at the podium.

The White House has not named a permanent replacement. Trump indicated Zacharia might continue in some other capacity.