President Donald Trump named Katie Zacharia as the new White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who stepped away from the role in August to spend more time with her young children. As reported by The Blast, Trump described her as “a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning.”
Zacharia called the appointment the “honor of a lifetime” in a statement on X. She said the work ahead is to keep delivering strong results and communicating the administration’s wins to the American people.
CNN reported that several other candidates were cut after officials found they had previously said something negative about the president. Zacharia, who was reportedly not under consideration a week earlier, has written, “I would never take my Trump hat off to appease the left,” after refusing to remove her campaign hat at a gym.
Her first Fox News appearance drew harsh reactions online
Her first major test was a Fox News appearance in which she discussed the president’s diesel agreement with Vladimir Putin. Many viewers took to social media to compare her style with that of Leavitt.
One viewer wrote that the appearance showed why the White House needs Fox & Friends as a friendly audience, adding, “Eloquence clearly wasn’t on the job requirements.” Another wrote, “This is a person who doesn’t know what she is doing or saying.”
Zacharia is also facing scrutiny over deleted social media posts that an investigation reportedly brought to light. She previously suggested the federal government should take over California and called for authorities to suspend habeas corpus while discussing sanctuary cities with Stephen Miller. She also reportedly shared claims about COVID-19 vaccinations that were described as inaccurate.
Journalist Brendan Hartnett said such comments may resonate with a segment of supporters but are likely to lead to difficult questions once she begins regular press briefings.
Published: Oct 13, 2026 05:15 pm