WASHINGTON — Conservative commentator and lawyer Katie Zacharia has been selected to serve as the next White House press secretary, administration officials confirmed on Friday.
Zacharia, who currently works as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, would step into the role left vacant when Karoline Leavitt departed the administration in late August. The New York Times first reported the selection, which was subsequently confirmed by White House officials to outlets including NBC News, CBS News, CNBC and the BBC.
If confirmed in the role, the 42-year-old commentator would become President Donald Trump’s sixth chief press spokesperson across his two presidential terms, according to the BBC. While White House officials confirmed that the position was offered to her, administration aides did not state whether she had formally accepted the post as of Friday afternoon, CBS News and CNBC reported.
Background in law and conservative media
Zacharia is a frequent guest on conservative networks such as Fox News, Fox Business and Newsmax, and regularly advocates for the administration on social media, NBC News reported. According to her LinkedIn profile, she joined Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social platform, in June.
A resident of California and mother of four, Zacharia graduated with both her undergraduate degree and a law degree from Pepperdine University, where she sits on the dean’s council at the Caruso School of Law, according to NBC News and CBS News. In addition to her media work, her professional profile lists her as general counsel for Fix California, an advocacy organization launched by Trump ally Ric Grenell, the BBC and CNBC reported.
Her federal communications experience includes a two-month period earlier this year. Zacharia worked as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security between February and March, according to her online profile and reporting by the BBC and CNBC.
Zacharia gained additional public attention earlier this year after penning an opinion piece for the New York Post detailing a confrontation at her neighborhood fitness center over wearing a campaign hat. In the column, she wrote that she refused to remove the hat, asserting, “Freedom of speech doesn’t evaporate at the gym door,” CBS News reported.
Shift in messaging ahead of midterms
The selection comes amid expressed frustration from Trump over how his administration’s record is being conveyed to the American public leading into the midterm elections, NBC News reported.
During a campaign event in Durant, Oklahoma, last week, Trump addressed communication struggles, stating, “We cannot get the word across because of the fake news and because … we’re doing a great job in running the country, but we’re not doing a good job of public relations,” according to NBC News. Trump reiterated the theme at an East Room event commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month, remarking, “We’re doing an extremely poor job of promotion, and an extremely great job of running the country.”
Zacharia replaces Leavitt, who stepped down to spend more time with her family after Trump praised her as one of his most trusted aides, the BBC reported. Earlier this week, Fox News announced that Leavitt had joined the network as an on-air contributor, according to NBC News.
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room has seen little formal activity in recent weeks. The podium has not hosted an on-camera press briefing since Sept. 3, when Vice President JD Vance fielded inquiries from reporters, CBS News reported.
Neither Trump nor Zacharia has commented publicly on the pending appointment, and an official start date has not yet been announced.
