Katie Zacharia had a hesitant debut at the White House, while her legal qualifications were called into question

Katie Zacharia, President Donald Trump’s new press secretary, made a hesitant first appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. She read a prepared statement mechanically, stumbled several times and answered only three questions, posed by conservative news outlets.

Her performance went viral on social media and prompted reactions within the administration. Several advisers criticized the decision to send her before the press so quickly, less than two working days after her appointment. Sources cited by CNN said Zacharia needed a longer preparation period and mock interviews.

After the briefing, Trump said he thought Zacharia had done very well. During the conference, she announced the dismissal of the U.S. ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, but immediately avoided providing an answer regarding information-sharing with Ukraine.

Her debut was followed by questions about her legal qualifications. Trump called her a lawyer, and Zacharia holds a law degree from Pepperdine University, obtained in 2011. Asked in which jurisdiction she had been admitted to the bar, she pointed to China. The White House did not specify whether she had ever been authorized to practice law in the United States.