Fourteen minutes. That's how long Katie Zacharia's first White House press briefing lasted on Tuesday before she pulled the plug, pointed reporters toward Marine One, and walked off the podium. For the newest voice of the Trump administration, it was a debut people won't stop talking about.
https://twitter.com/GettyImagesNews/status/2110091448876204113
Who Is Katie Zacharia?
President Donald Trump named Zacharia as his new press secretary on Friday. She's an attorney with a law degree from Pepperdine University, a mother of four, and a familiar face to anyone who watches cable news, having worked as a commentator on Fox News and Newsmax.
Most recently she was a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social. Earlier this year she also had a brief run as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem.
Trump didn't hold back in announcing her. "She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning," he said. "She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!"
Zacharia called the job "the honor of a lifetime" in a post on X, and gave a nod to the woman she's replacing: "Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting."
Why the Job Was Open
The seat has been empty since August, when Karoline Leavitt stepped down. Leavitt is heading to Fox News Channel. She had kind words for her successor too, writing on X, "I have no doubt Katie will do great work for President Trump and our country."
Zacharia steps in at a rough moment for the White House, with the president's approval sagging and Republicans bracing for the midterms.
A Debut That Ended Fast
Zacharia opened Tuesday's briefing by reading a prepared statement about Trump's rallies and his record on energy, tariffs, and immigration. She took questions from just three outlets, Breitbart News, Fox News, and the Daily Mail, and promised to keep the "new media" seat Leavitt created.
Then she wrapped it up. "In fact, I am going to end it because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska, and we can ask him all of the questions out there," she said.
She described the job as an extension of what she'd already been doing on TV. "I get to do what I was doing on the outside already, which was hoping to amplify, multiply and expand upon President Trump's incredible agenda for the American people," she said. She also called Trump "his own best spokesperson."
Her one piece of big news was that Trump had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, to resign after reports of misconduct. "She has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish her well," Zacharia said.
The reviews were mixed, to put it nicely. Trump told reporters, "I thought she did excellent. She did very good." Communications director Steven Cheung said she "commanded the room." Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said she "came off perhaps a bit nervous reading the prepared statement, but very relatable and likeable." FBI Director Kash Patel had already called her "sharp, fearless" when she was named.
Critics weren't as gentle. "Katie Zacharia makes Karoline Leavitt seem like Winston Churchill," journalist Aaron Rupar posted on X. Even an unnamed administration official told MS NOW she "got off on the wrong foot" and needs "to get much better, fast."
Day one is done. Now everyone's waiting to see if briefing number two goes longer than a coffee break.
Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
