Trump Claims He Told Ousted Katie Zacharia He Wasn't Sure She Could 'Ever Be Happy' as White House Press Secretary
The firing came days after her first news briefing.
Oct. 19 2026, Updated 2:30 p.m. ET
Katie Zacharia is out as White House Press Secretary after five days, the shortest tenure for a press secretary in U.S. history, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Before she was ousted, Zacharia was frequently compared to Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired after 10 days as White House Communications Director in 2017. Sources confirmed Zacharia is "transitioning" into a different job with the Trump administration.
Trump Wants Zacharia to 'Be Happy’'
Trump expressed doubts over Zacharia's role.
Shortly before the announcement, the President informed reporters he told Zacharia he didn't know if she could "ever be happy" in the role.
"She's been loyal to me from day one for a long time, but it's not an easy job, and I think she was really treated very unfairly, so I'll speak to her about it," Trump said at the time.
Trump reportedly told her she's "better off being happy."
Katie Zacharia Faced Criticism
The president booted Zacharia from the position after 5 days.
As Radar previously reported, Zacharia received significant backlash from critics after her first news briefing. Some of this criticism may have come from close to home.
A publication obtained alleged texts from Trump officials who weren’t satisfied with her performance. Critics noted Zacharia appeared to read extensively from a script, sparking doubts she could answer press questions on the spot.
When she did take questions, she had several flubs, such as accidentally calling her "husband" her "president" when asked how she'd manage motherhood and her role.
She also answered, "When I moved to China," when asked what state she passed the bar exam in – another topic that put Zacharia under scrutiny.
Katie Zacharia Failed the Bar Exam
Zacharia confirmed she didn't pass the bar exam.
Before her short tenure as the press secretary, Zacharia repeatedly called herself a lawyer. But after she was hired for the new role, reports circulated questioning this claim.
Zacharia obtained an academic law degree in 2011, but reporters failed to find her license allowing her to practice as an attorney.
Amid the reports, Zacharia finally confirmed October 15 she failed the bar exam and didn't retake it.
"The results of the bar exam were inconsequential because I was already moving to a foreign country that didn't require it," Zacharia said.
Katie Zacharia Defends Calling Herself a Lawyer
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Zacharia said she was told she could herself a lawyer.
The former press secretary defended her choice to call herself a lawyer.
She said that "legal professionals" and attorneys she asked told her she could call herself a lawyer due to her degree—and because she spoke legal "analysis" on TV instead of "advice."
In a New York Times interview, she said advisors at Pepperdine University, where she obtained her law degree, said she could call herself a lawyer but not an "attorney" or "esquire."
