Katie Zacharias abrupt departure as White House Press Secretary after less than a week on the job is drawing fresh scrutiny, including new reporting that she was never President Trumps preferred choice for the high-profile post.
According to The Gateway Pundit, Zacharia told Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy that she was transitioning out of the position after just five days, directly contradicting a New York Times claim that she had been fired, a characterization she denied in comments to the outlet. The episode underscores how quickly the media establishment seized on the turmoil to portray disarray in the Trump White House, even as the facts surrounding her exit continue to emerge.
Zacharia had already attracted criticism following a halting performance at her first and only press briefing on Tuesday, where she appeared visibly nervous and repeatedly failed to make eye contact with members of the press. For a conservative administration facing a hostile media environment, such a shaky debut from the chief spokesperson was always likely to invite intensified attacks from the left-leaning press corps.
The situation deteriorated further when it emerged that Zacharia had been presenting herself as an attorney despite never having passed the bar exam, a basic requirement to practice law in the United States. That revelation handed ammunition to critics eager to question the administrations vetting process, even as it became clear that key details had been withheld from the President himself.
Axios now reports that Zacharia was not President Trumps first choice; instead, he initially sought to bring on former Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, who declined the offer. Before hiring Zacharia, Trump wanted to hire former Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, two administration sources said, but she signaled she was not going to take the job.
Bartiromo, a longtime favorite among conservatives, had previously parted ways with Foxs on-air lineup after she leaked internal texts to the White House revealing that network executives had instructed staff to stop promoting so-called election conspiracies from Trump. As one source told Axios, Shes no longer on air, but shes still on the Fox payroll & the taxpayers cant compete with that, highlighting the financial realities that can limit public service by high-profile media figures.
Axios also reported that conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings was considered for the press secretary role before the offer ultimately went to Zacharia. Other details from the outlet indicate that Trump was blindsided upon learning that Zacharia was not an attorney, despite having described her as such in his Truth Social announcement.
Zacharias selection was described as a personal decision by the President, advanced with strong input from his close aide Natalie Harp, reflecting his preference for loyalists in key communications roles. For now, however, the podium will remain without a permanent occupant, as Trump told Fox Newss Peter Doocy on Friday that he is in no rush to name a replacement for the press secretary.
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