President Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, has left her role just five days after being appointed. It comes after scrutiny over her claim to be a lawyer and a shaky first press conference. Zacharia is alleged to be “transitioning out” of her role as White House press secretary, the White House told the BBC. Donald Trump said earlier today he told Zacharia to “reconsider” the job. Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews the president relayed a conversation he had with his new press secretary.
Trump said he told Zacharia that she is “better off being happy” after facing a wave of public scrutiny. “I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.’
There’s nothing easy about this stuff,” Trump told reporters. He added: “I said to her honestly, ‘If I were you, I’d reconsider… think about it. But I would reconsider.'”
Trump also said the 42-year-old has been treated “very, very badly” by the media in recent days after a shaky 14-minute press conference on Tuesday and took just three questions from the press.
She spent more than half that time reading pre-prepared remarks. The president then admitted that “maybe the role is not for her”.
After meeting Zacharia’s family yesterday, who Trump described as being “from a picture postcard”, the 80-year-old leader told the White House press secretary that “she should reconsider”.
When asked what he wants for her, Trump replied that he wishes her happiness, adding that she has suffered. During an appearance on Fox News network earlier on Friday morning Zacharia was questioned whether she still has the confidence of the US president. “I’m standing here,” she replied.
Questions also arose over her legal credentials, after Zacharia claimed to be a practising lawyer but later admitted she failed the bar exam the only time she took it in the US.
She is no stranger to the White House, having interned during the George Bush administration, which ran from 2001 to 2009. Zacharia also briefly served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, a communications adviser for Trump Media and Technology Group,
The conservative activist and commentator filled a prolonged vacancy left by Karoline Leavitt, one of Trump’s most trusted aides, who stepped down in August to spend more time with her family.
