EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump's New Press Secretary 'Just Played Lawyer on TV'
Scrutiny has grown over Katie Zacharia's legal credentials.
Oct. 16 2026, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Donald Trump's new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is facing embarrassing questions over whether she is actually qualified to practice law – despite describing herself as a lawyer and being publicly introduced by the president as an attorney.
As RadarOnline.com has reported, Zacharia became embroiled in controversy just days after taking up one of Washington's most demanding communications jobs.
Katie Zacharia Faces Questions Over Legal Credentials
Zacharia faces questions over whether she holds a license to practice law.
The dispute erupted after she struggled to answer questions about her legal qualifications, prompting scrutiny of her education, professional history, and previous employment in China.
Asked in which state she had passed the bar examination, Zacharia twice bizarrely responded: "When I moved to China."
The unusual exchange raised questions about whether the White House's newest spokesperson had overstated her professional credentials.
Zacharia subsequently insisted the episode resulted from a misunderstanding caused by noise from the presidential helicopter.
She said: "I assumed the question was, 'Where were you after law school?'"
Zacharia added: "That's all I could hear over the sound of Marine One."
The 41-year-old graduated from Pepperdine University with a law degree in 2011, but a legal qualification does not automatically authorize someone to practice law.
The Wall Street Journal reported that she attempted California's bar exam without passing, while another publication said it found no evidence that she held a license to practice law in any state where she had lived.
General Counsel Title Sparks Legal Controversy
Berkeley law dean Erwin Chemerinsky questioned Zacharia's general counsel title.
The controversy deepened after attention turned to Zacharia's LinkedIn profile, which identified her as general counsel for Fix California, an organization associated with Trump ally Richard Grenell.
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley Law School, challenged the implications of that designation.
He said: "You can't be a general counsel to a company in the United States unless you're admitted to the bar to practice law."
Chemerinsky added: "A general counsel implies that you're practicing law, giving legal advice to the company. You can't practice law without a license."
A source claimed: "The problem for Katie is that she's walked into a job where credibility is absolutely everything, and almost immediately she's having to explain her own professional background. There's a significant difference between having a law degree and being licensed to practice law, and it seems she has just played a lawyer for the TV cameras.
"The fact that the president described her as an attorney has only intensified the scrutiny. It is the kind of distinction that might previously have attracted little attention, but when you're speaking for the White House, every word matters.
Why Professional Transparency Matters for White House Press Secretary
Trump's press secretary defended her credentials as scrutiny of her background grew.
"Nobody is questioning whether Katie studied law or gained valuable experience working internationally. The issue is whether the way she's presented those qualifications has given people an impression that goes beyond what she's actually entitled to claim."
The insider continued, "Describing yourself as a lawyer, an attorney or general counsel can mean very different things professionally. When those distinctions become blurred, it inevitably raises questions about judgment and transparency.
"That answer about moving to China was particularly unfortunate because it turned what should have been a straightforward question into a much bigger controversy. Her explanation about struggling to hear over the helicopter may be entirely genuine, but it hasn't resolved the underlying question about her professional status. What should have taken a few seconds to clarify has now become a story about whether the president's own spokesperson can accurately explain her qualifications.
"A press secretary needs to establish trust with journalists, including those who are openly hostile to the administration. If reporters feel they're not getting straightforward answers about something as basic as professional credentials, that creates an additional obstacle before she's even properly established herself."
"The president calling Katie an attorney has made the situation more complicated because it effectively gave his personal endorsement to a professional designation that is now being questioned," the source added. "The White House will now want to establish precisely what qualifications she holds rather than allow uncertainty to overshadow her appointment.
"Katie is now facing an early test that has very little to do with the Trump administration's policies and everything to do with her personal credibility. The questions surrounding her time in China, the general counsel designation, and the California bar examination are all matters that can be clarified with documentation. Until that happens, the controversy risks becoming a total distraction from the job she's actually been appointed to do."
Overseas Law Firm Experience and Escalating State Bar Complaints
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Zacharia listed nearly two years of work at China's Zhong Lun Law Firm.
A watchdog organization has filed a complaint with California's State Bar requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia had improperly presented herself as legally authorized to practice.
Questions have also emerged about her professional experience overseas.
Zacharia moved to China with her husband Tyler while he worked for an American private equity company.
She subsequently described undertaking international transactional legal work and listed nearly two years at Zhong Lun Law Firm, a major Chinese practice.
However, foreign nationals cannot qualify as Chinese lawyers or provide advice on domestic Chinese law, although they can undertake certain international legal assignments.
Gary Gao, a Shanghai-based Zhong Lun partner, explained foreign recruits frequently assist with language and international business matters.
He said: "They are not practicing Chinese law at any time."
Sida Liu, a University of Hong Kong law professor, also used an interview with the Times to question whether describing such employment as an associate position could create a misleading impression of professional qualifications.
Zacharia maintained Pepperdine's president had previously advised her that describing herself as a lawyer was acceptable, although she should avoid using attorney or esquire.
Trump nevertheless has publicly referred to his newly appointed spokesperson as "an attorney."
