Understand
Katie Zacharia leaves White House press secretary role after less than a week
Overview
Katie Zacharia has left her position as White House press secretary following intense media scrutiny over her credentials and a difficult debut press briefing. President Donald Trump indicated earlier on Friday that she should reconsider the job, and the BBC subsequently confirmed her departure. Zacharia faced heavy questioning regarding her legal background after admitting she did not pass the bar exam, despite previous characterisations of her as an attorney.
Key points
- Katie Zacharia is leaving her role as White House press secretary less than five days after starting.
- Her departure follows a widely criticised inaugural press briefing on Tuesday that lasted under 15 minutes and included only three questions.
- President Donald Trump stated publicly before her exit that he told her she did not have to do the job and should reconsider.
- Zacharia faced intense scrutiny over her legal credentials and admitted on Thursday that she had not passed the bar exam.
- Democrats seized on her departure as a sign of failure within the administration, while former communications director Anthony Scaramucci commented on the short tenure.