New Press Secretary’s First Briefing Was Rough
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New Press Secretary’s First Briefing Was Rough

Hello and goodbye: Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary



On Friday, just days after Katie Zacharia's debut as White House press secretary, a White House senior official informed Fox News' Peter Doocy that she is "transitioning out" of the role.

The New York Times, citing three people familiar with the matter, subsequently reported that Zacharia had been fired.

'Welcome to the world of Trump.'

The White House did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

On the eve of her ouster, Zacharia had a particularly rough interview with Sean Hannity in which the Fox News host grilled her about failing the bar exam. President Donald Trump had referred to Zacharia as "an attorney" in his post announcing her appointment.

Zacharia explained that she graduated from law school the same week she got married and that she and her family soon afterward migrated to communist China. Before moving to China, she sat for the bar exam since she was already pre-registered and she wanted to avoid having "withdrawal status."

Hannity also pressed her about her "widely panned" 14-minute debut, in which she answered only three questions.

Trump told reporters on Friday that Zacharia, whom he regards as a "nice person," was being treated "pretty nastily" and that he told her, "You don't have to do this if you don't want. She said, 'This is a lot tougher.' I said, 'Welcome to the world of Trump.'"

"Katie is off to a start that — the news has been so nasty to her. I've never seen anything like it, actually," said Trump.

Although the president indicated that he would ultimately leave the decision up to Zacharia, he recalled telling her, "Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it, but I would reconsider."

RELATED: Katie Zacharia takes podium for the first time as press secretary — and Trump reacts

Jim WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Zacharia, who was named to the role last Friday, was the seventh woman in a row to head the White House press secretary office.

It's presently unclear who will take over for Zacharia following her five-day tenure.

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Katie Zacharia takes podium for the first time as press secretary — and Trump reacts



President Donald Trump approved of Katie Zacharia's first media briefing on Tuesday as the newest White House press secretary.

The president told reporters that Zacharia did a good job as he left the White House to go campaign for Republican candidates in Alaska.

'I'm looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz, with energy and excitement never before seen in the history of midterms.'

The 42-year-old mother of four children thanked the president in her opening comments before the press.

"Good morning. I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House press secretary," Zacharia said.

"I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time," she added.

"I'm looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz, with energy and excitement never before seen in the history of midterms, thanks to President Trump," she said.

Zacharia's first media briefing lasted only 14 minutes, but she made news by announcing that Kimberly Guilfoyle had been asked to resign as the U.S. ambassador to Greece after allegations of impropriety began swirling last week.

"We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign," Zacharia said. "She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."

Guilfoyle announced on her social media account that she would resign and denied accusations that she had abused her office for personal gain.

"I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional," Guilfoyle wrote. "I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service."

A reporter asked the president to grade Zacharia's performance afterward.

"I thought she did excellent," he said. "She did very good."

RELATED: Marco Rubio takes on press secretary role — and gives Iran one choice to avoid total economic collapse

Trump enthusiastically endorsed Zacharia to follow Karoline Leavitt, who has since signed on to be a Fox News contributor.

"She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning," the president wrote of Zacharia on Friday. "She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!"

Zacharia is the seventh woman in a row to head the White House press secretary office.

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Trump announces new White House press secretary after Karoline Leavitt's departure



President Donald Trump announced on Friday the appointment of a media analyst and attorney to be the next White House press secretary.

The New York Times had first reported that Katie Zacharia had been tapped for the role, and sources confirmed the offer to Politico.

'She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!'

Zacharia, 42, is a graduate of Pepperdine who worked briefly at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is currently the senior communications adviser for the Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns the Truth Social online platform.

"She was previously involved in my Campaigns, assisting in key Swing States, where we won 7 out of 7," said the president on Truth Social. "She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!"

She has been a frequent commentator on political issues at Fox News, Newsmax, CNN, and OANN.

The press secretary role has been open at the White House since Karoline Leavitt left at the end of August after giving birth to her second child.

Leavitt was the youngest press secretary in White House history. She turned 29 years old at the end of August. On Monday, Fox News announced that Leavitt was joining the network as a political commentator.

Zacharia has also worked as general counsel for a conservative advocacy nonprofit named Fix California, founded by Trump special envoy Richard Grenell.

RELATED: 3 moments that will make you miss Karoline Leavitt

She has been married to film producer Tyler Zacharia for 15 years and is a mother to four children.

Zacharia will also be the seventh woman in a row to be White House press secretary. The last male to hold the position was Sean Spicer in the first Trump administration.

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Karoline Leavitt lands another new job



President Donald Trump’s former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt resigned at the end of August and rejoined Trump-affiliated super PAC MAGA Inc. Shortly after, she was a featured speaker at the Republican Midterm Convention in early September. Now, just about a month later, she’s ready to start a new chapter in her professional life.

On Monday, Fox News announced that Leavitt will join the network as a contributor starting on November 1. According to the network’s reporting, she is scheduled to “provide commentary across the Fox News lineup.”

'I look forward to bringing my unique perspective from my experience as White House press secretary, along with the same energy and candor that defined my tenure, to Fox’s millions of viewers across their many platforms.'

While Leavitt interned at local news organizations when she was a student at New Hampshire’s Saint Anselm College, this is the first time Leavitt will work directly with a major news organization in her professional career.

She began that career shortly after graduating college, as a deputy press secretary during President Trump’s first administration. Then she ran for Congress, worked for Trump’s super PAC, joined his 2024 campaign, and ended up back at the White House as press secretary.

In a press release announcing the signing of Leavitt, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said, “Karoline’s firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape. We look forward to her providing our audience with authentic and sharp insight across all FOX News Media platforms.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue appearing on Fox News Channel as an official member of the extraordinary team at FOX News Media,” Leavitt said in that same press release. “I look forward to bringing my unique perspective from my experience as White House press secretary, along with the same energy and candor that defined my tenure, to Fox’s millions of viewers across their many platforms.”

RELATED: 3 moments that will make you miss Karoline Leavitt

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President Trump has not yet weighed in on Leavitt’s new job on social media, though liberal media critics were quick to pounce on the news and pivoted to attack Trump’s current relationship with Fox.

CNN’s Brian Stelter called Leavitt’s new gig “the least surprising headline of the day” in his daily Reliable Sources newsletter. He used the announcement as a pivot point to attack President Trump for noticing that Fox is no longer covering his full rallies.

Leavitt joins another former Trump press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, at the network.

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Karoline Leavitt reveals how ‘fake news’ stories get made



While some reporters follow the facts wherever they lead, others start with a story they want to tell and work backwards from there.

And former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explains that it’s the latter more often than the public realizes — but BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales has had it happen to her and is well aware.

In a recent interview with Sean Hannity, Leavitt described a common media tactic: A reporter develops a negative narrative about the Trump administration, finds loosely connected sources willing to validate it, and publishes the story even after receiving direct denials from people who were actually in the room.

“They, you know, believe they are arbiters of the truth and doing the country a great service, but they are clearly slanted and biased against the president,” she told Hannity.


“This is how fake news is manufactured, for your audience to understand,” she continued. “You’ll have a hack journalist who comes up with a narrative on their own that they think is true about the president or the White House, and they love the palace intrigue stories.”

Leavitt explained that “batting down fake stuff” was about 90% of her job.

“They’ll find a source who has no idea what they’re talking about, was not in the room, doesn’t even work at the White House, maybe worked on the campaign as a volunteer staffer for one day. And they’ll say, ‘A source close to President Trump told us this,’” she said.

“Like, who’s your source? Because I was in the room, so I’m a better source than them. And I’m telling you, this did not happen,” she added.

Leavitt went on to say that the reporters would then respond that they “really trust” that source and would “still write it” anyways.

“All they need is two sources,” she said. “One to say that happened. Another for them to call and say, ‘I heard this happened.’ And that person will say, ‘Yeah, that probably sounds right.’ And then the story’s written, and you can have the White House aggressively on the record pushing back, and they’ll still print.”

“That’s how things get written. They just seek to get a bad narrative, and they’ll find anyone who helps them push that narrative,” she added.

“I know it sounds crazy that they would just come up with a narrative and then try to approach people to corroborate that narrative that they just made up,” Gonzales says.

“Sounds crazy, but Karoline is 100% correct,” she adds.

Gonzales reveals that reporters have reached out to her with a political bias attempting to spin a story, revealing one recent text conversation she had with a reporter at Politico.

“No thanks, I’m going to pass on that,” she says. “I don’t need to engage with you, I know what this is. I always know what it is.”

“The mainstream media is trash,” she adds.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

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Energy remains high for second day of Republican Midterm Convention



The mood remained high in Dallas as the Republican Midterm Convention moved into its second day. The American Airlines Center was full by mid-afternoon Thursday for another slate of speakers, featuring a number of congressional candidates from around the country.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took the stage around 5 p.m. to loud applause and spoke about the importance of the upcoming midterms — echoing what has been a constant refrain from speakers throughout the event: "We are gathered here at a time for choosing ... the most consequential midterms in our lifetimes."

'It's been good to see everything that has been accomplished by the administration.'

Cruz also emphasized the radical nature of Democrat candidates, emphasizing the "mainstream versus extreme" distinction that has become a key talking point for the GOP: "They hate Christians, they hate Jews, they hate capitalism, and they hate America."

Attendees said they felt energized by the convention and thought it would help with voter turnout in November. Mark Knoderer, who traveled from Georgia to attend the convention, said he was motivated by the extreme nature of Democrat positions.

"This election is extremely important, and the Democrats are going so far left it's crazy that anyone would vote for them," Knoderer told Blaze News.

Isaac Laster, chairman of the Young Republicans of Texas, added that he's optimistic about voter enthusiasm heading into the midterms: "It's been good to see everything that has been accomplished by the administration. I think that will energize people."

RELATED: WATCH LIVE: Night 2 Republican Midterm Convention

Image source: BlazeTV

Laster also pointed to areas where GOP politicians can continue to gain ground with younger voters, such as opposition to the H-1B visa program. He called Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's recent ban on the program for taxpayer-funded institutions "an excellent step" and pointed out that young voters support the continued expansion of job protection for American workers.

"Those jobs should be going to Texans first," Laster noted to Blaze News.

The crowd continued to grow as high-profile speakers such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Karoline Leavitt addressed onlookers, touting Trump administration accomplishments and castigating the Democrat opposition. President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the convention at the end of the night.

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Night 2 Republican Midterm Convention



The first midterm Republican National Convention wraps tonight with an emphasis on policies to help everyday Americans in areas of public health, business, and affordability and memorials honoring Charlie Kirk, victims of border crime, and the 25th anniversary observance of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Vice President JD Vance headlines the convention's closing act, right before President Donald Trump's closing remarks. Earlier in the evening, first son Donald Trump Jr. takes on the extreme liberal Democrats and Karoline Leavitt, the former White House press secretary is set to outline "Golden Age of America."

Two somber moments will take place during the middle of the night’s program. First, the convention will remember Charlie Kirk, who was killed a year ago Thursday. Pastor Lucas Miles of TPUSA Faith will deliver a prayer and tribute to Kirk, followed by a video package honoring him.

Then, the program marks the 25th observance of September 11 with a remote appearance by Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller, a presentation of colors, a wreath-laying, and a performance of "Ave Maria" by Christopher Macchio.

Other speakers include: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who will speak on food choices and Making America Healthy Again. His speech is one of many touting the MAHA initiatives. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson will explain why he left the Democratic Party, and British travel creator Oliver Henry, who came to Dallas for the World Cup, speaks on what he says makes America the land of opportunity.

The night will also focus on the midterms. Texas. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Gov. Greg Abbott, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick all speak, along with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on the road ahead. Mike Rogers, running for Senate in Michigan, will highlight the radical agenda of Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) appear as House Republican Conference chair and NRCC chair, and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) will join angel parents Jessica and Tom Gorman. Also on the program are Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.), and Brian Jack (R-Ga.), plus House candidates Laurie Buckhout, Greg Cunningham, Marty O'Donnell, Derek Merrin, Eric Flores, and Tano Tijerina.

After all the speeches and applause, a balloon drop, "YMCA," and "Pinball Wizard" send off the arena before Macchio closes the night with "Nessun Dorma."

3 moments that will make you miss Karoline Leavitt



President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 12 that one of his "most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt," was departing the role of White House press secretary after 19 months so that "she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family."

Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child on May 1, noted, "Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime."

'You’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You're posing in this room as a journalist.'

Unlike with her lesbian predecessor, Americans may soon come to miss Leavitt. After all, the unflappable Republican was responsible for a number of memorable moments. Three in particular stand out.

1. 'They are criminals'

Just days after Trump retook office, a reporter noted Immigration and Customs Enforcement had already made roughly 3,500 arrests, then asked, "How many have a criminal record versus those who are just in the country illegally?"

Leavitt signaled right away that she wasn't going to join the liberal media in downplaying the crime of stealing into the United States.

"All of them," said Leavitt, "because they illegally broke our nation’s laws, and therefore they are criminals as far as this administration goes."

The former press secretary acknowledged that after four years of the Biden administration, "It's a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal, but that's exactly what they are."

2. 'Left-wing hack'

A year later, Niall Stanage, a White House columnist from The Hill, quoted then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as saying that ICE was doing "everything correctly." After noting that some Americans have been arrested by ICE and invoking the name of Renee Good — an anti-ICE radical who was fatally shot while driving her SUV into an ICE agent — Stanage asked, "How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?"

RELATED: Karoline Leavitt rips into WaPo for 'BS story' about Trump and Hegseth

Jim WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

It didn't take long for Leavitt to suss out Stanage.

"Why was Renee Good unfortunately and tragically killed?" asked Leavitt.

Stanage replied, "Because an ICE agent reacted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably."

Leavitt delivered her diagnosis: "OK, so you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion. ... You’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You're posing in this room as a journalist, and it’s so clear by the premise of your question."

"You shouldn’t even be sitting in that seat," added Leavitt.

The former press secretary continued to castigate Stanage, suggesting that he had a blind spot for the Americans killed by the very illegal aliens whom ICE works to detain and deport.

3. Maternal selection

President Trump revealed in October 2025 that he was planning to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, "to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end."

The Huffington Post's S.V. Dáte pressed the White House on why the capital of a friendly NATO country that's a three-hour flight away from Moscow had been chosen as the destination for the meeting, writing, "Is the president aware of the significance of Budapest? In 1994, Russia promised, in Budapest, not to invade Ukraine if it gave up the nuclear weapons it inherited when the Soviet Union dissolved. Does he not see why Ukraine might object to that site? Who suggested Budapest?"

The tone of the query clearly rubbed Leavitt the wrong way. She answered, "Your mom did."

"Is this funny to you?" said Dáte, evidently unaware that it would soon be funny to a great many Americans.

Leavitt later noted, "For context, S.V. Dáte of the Huffington Post is not a journalist interested in the facts. He is a left-wing hack who has consistently attacked President Trump for years and constantly bombards my phone with Democrat talking points."

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