White House Official On 'Chopping Block' and Should 'Begin Looking for a New Job' Following Katie Zacharia's Hiring, Source Claims — as Their 'History' Collides
Katie Zacharia's hiring could spell the end for another White House official.
Oct. 14 2026, Published 6:35 p.m. ET
Donald Trump’s hiring of Katie Zacharia may signal trouble for one White House official, RadarOnline can report.
Zacharia is already facing criticism over her suitability for the role of Press Secretary, especially following her first press briefing.
The Drama With Katie Zacharia
Zacharia was hired directly by Trump without the approval of the Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to reports.
Trump’s new press secretary was reportedly not Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' preferred choice. The decision has raised questions about Zacharia’s connections to Corey Lewandowski, a former adviser to ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Lewandowski reportedly handpicked Zacharia to serve as the Department of Homeland Security's public-facing television representative while Noem was leading the agency.
After Noem was fired in March, Zacharia reportedly left DHS after about six weeks. It was reported that she was among more than two dozen former Noem allies placed on an unofficial blacklist.
Lauren Bis, then an assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, reportedly limited Zacharia's opportunities to appear on television. Bis now works in the White House communications office, where she is reportedly set to work under Zacharia.
The history between the two has raised questions about whether their past disagreements could spill over into their new working relationship.
"It would be wise for Lauren to begin looking for a new job given their history," one source noted.
Katie Zacharia's Eventual First Day
At what point she confused her husband with Donald Trump
Tuesday, October 13, was Zacharia’s first day on the job, and her first White House press briefing ended after just 14 minutes.
She took questions from three outlets: Fox News, the Daily Mail, and Breitbart News.
Reading from her notes, the married mother of four mixed up the words "husband" and "president" while answering a question about balancing her home life with her new job.
"The idea of not spending evenings with my kids is completely unacceptable, so my president-excuse me, my husband-is out here," Zacharia said at the time.
She tried to recover with a joke, saying, "That's a good one," which drew laughter from reporters.
What Are Professionals Saying?
Zacharia’s first day was mocked by media critics.
Former White House officials, anonymous Trump insiders, and media pundits all had something to say about Zacharia’s first day.
Former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki took a shot at Zacharia’s first briefing, writing on X, "Well, that briefing was basically an SNL skit….except it wasn't."
Former Trump communications director Anthony Scaramucci also weighed in on X that day, writing, "Not me. I hope she makes it," after a social media user suggested he might want Zacharia to fail so she would break his record for the shortest tenure.
But one anonymous White House official reportedly suggested Zacharia may not have much time to improve. MS NOW quoted the official as saying, "She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she'll break Scaramucci’s record."
Scaramucci lasted 11 days as communications director during Trump's first administration in 2017.
Another unnamed White House official questioned why Zacharia was sent out so quickly, telling CNN, "Why did they put her out there so quickly? There was literally zero reason to put her out on her second day unprepared."
The adviser also argued that Zacharia's announcement about Kimberly Guilfoyle's departure as U.S. ambassador to Greece was "the best thing she did," adding, "at least that takes the focus off of her performance."
Is Zacharia an Improvement Over Her Predecessor, Karoline Leavitt?
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Despite the backlash, Trump praised Zacharia.
Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the press secretary position in late August to spend more time with her family.
Leavitt’s communication style was combative toward reporters, marked by confidence and deep loyalty to Trump. Leavitt frequently pushed back against journalists, at times dismissing questions as "stupid."
However, during her press briefing, Zacharia said, "We love new media, and we want to be able to embrace it." Her appointment also comes amid an ongoing dispute over White House press access.
As Radar previously reported, the Trump administration has restricted access for some traditional news outlets, including CNN, MS NOW and Politico, which have been fighting to regain access after being excluded.
Trump publicly praised Zacharia’s debut, saying he thought "she was very good." He also voiced confidence in her appointment, posting, "Katie has been with me, in spirit, from the very beginning, and will do a fantastic job!"
