One week of activity: Trump's new press secretary has stepped down from his position
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is leaving her position nearly a week after her appointment. Her dismissal was confirmed on October 16 by a senior official in the US administration. It is not yet known who the new press secretary will be.
After a week of activity, Trump's new press secretary left her post. According to DW, the departure of Zacharia was first reported by The New York Times and CNN. She also indirectly confirmed this in a post on the X social network overnight into October 17.
Zacharia expressed warm thoughts about Donald Trump, writing, "It was an honor for me to work under him."
Trump, meanwhile, told journalists that he suggested Zacharia think about whether this job was right for her. According to the President, the media treated her poorly and unfairly, and Zacharia has experienced many hardships in recent days. Trump stated that he wants her to be happy and intends to speak with her in the coming days.
Zacharia's appointment was announced on October 9. However, on her very first working day, she became the center of attention due to her hesitant appearance at a press conference and mistakes in her speech. She was unable to answer certain questions and ended the briefing much earlier than scheduled.
In addition, questions arose regarding her professional qualifications. According to reports, after graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, Zacharia failed to pass the bar exam. Despite this, she had previously called herself a lawyer several times, and Trump introduced her as an attorney.
According to CBS News, Zacharia spent the past week much more isolated than usual and did not carry out activities typical of a press secretary. Politico wrote that Trump, in conversations with others, expressed critical views about her abilities and her demeanor in front of the camera.