White House press secretary Katie Zacharia transitioning out of new role after only a week

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role after a week of public scrutiny in the job.

Staff Writers
Reuters
President Donald Trump says he told press secretary Katie Zacharia to reconsider her role. (AP PHOTO)
President Donald Trump says he told press secretary Katie Zacharia to reconsider her role. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

US President Donald Trump says he has told new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia she should reconsider her role after facing public scrutiny a week after taking the job.

“I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.’ There’s nothing easy about this stuff,” Trump told reporters on Friday

He added: “I said to her honestly, ‘If I were you, I’d reconsider... think about it. But I would reconsider.’”

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Fox News, citing a White House official, later reported that Zacharia was “transitioning” out of the role of press secretary.

Zacharia held her debut White House briefing on Tuesday.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zacharia had said she received a call about the role of press secretary last Wednesday and got offered the job to succeed Karoline Leavitt last Friday.

Trump later announced her appointment. In his announcement, he described her as an lawyer.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has stepped down after just days in the role. (AP PHOTO)
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has stepped down after just days in the role. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

Over the last week, the issue of whether Zacharia, a graduate of California’s Pepperdine University law school, had actually passed the bar - making her an lawyer - came under fire.

On Friday, during a Fox News interview on Thursday, Zacharia said she did not pass the bar. Anthony Scaramucci served director of communications for 10 days during Trump’s first administration.

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