Katie Zacharia, who left her role as White House press secretary after just five days, has publicly praised US President Donald Trump, describing him as kind, hardworking and thoughtful. In a post on X, she said it had been an “honour” to work for him despite the brief tenure.
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man,” Zacharia wrote, reiterating her support for his leadership.
She also reaffirmed her backing for Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) vision, arguing that his contribution to the country remained unmatched. She expressed a wish that more Americans appreciated his leadership.
Trump Says He Wanted Her to Be Happy
Trump previously said he had encouraged Zacharia to reconsider the position after she faced intense media scrutiny. Speaking to reporters, he said he wanted her to have a good life and did not want her to endure the pressure she had experienced during her first days in the role.
He also said he believed the media had treated her unfairly and described the criticism as brutal.
Zacharia’s departure came shortly after she took over the position from Karoline Leavitt. She began work on Monday and conducted her first White House press briefing the following day.
First Briefing and Questions Over Legal Credentials
Zacharia’s first briefing lasted less than 15 minutes, with questions taken from just three reporters. The limited interaction was followed by scrutiny of her professional background, particularly statements about her experience in international transaction law.
Although Zacharia had said she practised international transaction law with the appropriate credentials, she acknowledged during a Fox News interview on Thursday that she had not passed the bar examination.
Trump dismissed suggestions that the issue should have affected her appointment, saying he had hired her to serve as press secretary, not as a lawyer.
White House Press Secretary Position Remains Open
Zacharia’s exit leaves Trump without a permanent White House press secretary ahead of the November midterm elections. Trump has indicated that he is in no hurry to name a successor.
Her brief tenure has drawn attention to the pressures surrounding one of the administration’s most visible communications roles, where media scrutiny and public messaging are central to the job.
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