White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has left her position just six days after being appointed, following criticism of her first press briefing and controversy over her claim to be a lawyer.
A White House official confirmed her departure on Friday after Fox News reported that she was leaving the role.
Zacharia, 41, took over from Karoline Leavitt, who was known for her combative exchanges with journalists and efforts to reshape media engagement at the White House.
Her first press briefing on Tuesday lasted less than 15 minutes. She spent much of the session outlining President Donald Trump’s achievements before answering questions from only three journalists.
The controversy surrounding her professional qualifications further complicated her brief tenure. Zacharia had previously described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media. She also listed herself as general counsel of a conservative non-profit organisation based in California.
Although she holds a law degree from a California university, Zacharia admitted on Thursday that she had failed the bar examination, which is generally required to practise law in the United States.
In interviews with media outlets supportive of Trump, she explained that she had not retaken the examination because she never intended to practise law. She also said plans to relocate to China with her husband had left her distracted and overwhelmed when she registered for the test.
Zacharia further claimed that people in the legal profession had advised her that she could describe herself as a lawyer because she held a law degree.
Her departure comes as Trump campaigns for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 congressional midterm elections. His administration has faced criticism over the war with Iran, inflation and allegations of corruption.
Zacharia’s brief stay in the role has drawn comparisons with Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for 11 days during Trump’s first administration.
Reacting to the news, Scaramucci wrote on social media that records were made to be broken, while adding that he took no pleasure in another person’s difficulties.
