Katie Zacharia steps down as White House press secretary after less than a week

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her position, according to officials who spoke to NPR Politics, The Hill, and WJAC. Outlets including the BBC, Sky News, and the Washington Examiner reported that she is stepping down less than a week after being appointed to the role. Zacharia served for five days, making her the shortest-serving White House press secretary in United States history. [1][2][3][5][10][11][13]

President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday morning that he encouraged Zacharia to reconsider her position, Courthouse News Service and The Hill reported. Courthouse News Service noted that the move followed a week of questions regarding her legal credentials. The Washington Examiner reported that Zacharia publicly lasted four days in the post before the president moved to transition her out. [4][5][6]

Zacharia was named as the press secretary following the departure of Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August. Zacharia previously worked for the Trump Media and Technology Group, the Department of Homeland Security, and as a campaign adviser. She earned an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University in 2007 and a J.D. from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011. [2][15][17][18]

According to the Washington Examiner, Trump told reporters he has no immediate short list for a replacement because he believes the White House has been operating well. [2]