Katie Zacharia, the newly appointed press secretary for former U.S. President Donald Trump, brings an unusual international background to her role, having lived and worked in Beijing early in her career. At 42, Zacharia's experience includes a significant stint at one of China’s leading law firms as well as involvement in non-profit work focused on migrant children, adding a distinctive dimension to her professional trajectory before returning to American conservative politics.
Zacharia’s appointment was announced this week, following the departure of Karoline Leavitt, who left the position at the end of August to focus on her family and will soon join Fox News as an on-air contributor. Trump praised Zacharia on his social media platform, highlighting her long-standing support and loyalty since his early political days.
Her period in China, from 2011 to 2013, was spent at Zhong Lun Law Firm, one of the country's premier corporate law firms. During this time, China was rapidly expanding its global economic influence, and firms like Zhong Lun were broadening their international practices, frequently hiring foreign-trained lawyers for cross-border work. Zacharia’s role included serving as outside counsel for projects linked to the World Bank Group, underscoring her exposure to substantial international commercial matters.
Alongside her legal work, Zacharia also took on a fundraising and communications role with Compassion for Migrant Children, an organization dedicated to supporting the children of migrant workers in China, though details on her involvement remain limited. Her husband, Tyler Zacharia, was likewise in Beijing during this period working in private equity focused on emerging markets.
Former colleagues and experts note that Zacharia acquired basic proficiency in Chinese during her time in Beijing, a skill she reportedly retains and occasionally uses to surprise interlocutors. While her language ability is not advanced enough for complex negotiations or diplomatic discussions, analysts say even limited knowledge can foster a greater cultural familiarity rare among U.S. political communications officials.
Commentators suggest Zacharia’s experience in China could be particularly relevant as Trump prepares to engage with Chinese President Xi Jinping at upcoming international forums, including the APEC summit in Shenzhen and the G20 meeting in Miami. These events are expected to focus heavily on the complex and evolving U.S.-China relationship, with issues spanning trade, technology, and security.
Denis Simon, a China expert and senior fellow at the Quincy Institute in Washington, described Zacharia’s exposure to China through legal and non-profit channels as providing a more grounded perspective than many American officials possess. Nevertheless, he and others caution that a two-year professional stint and basic language skills do not equate to deep strategic insight into Chinese government policy.
Before her time in Beijing, Zacharia earned a law degree from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law in California. More recently, she served as a senior communications adviser to Truth Social, a media platform owned by Trump Media & Technology Group, and held a brief post as spokeswoman and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.
Zacharia’s appointment marks a continuation of her close association with Trump and highlights the increasingly global dimensions of political communications in an era marked by heightened international tensions.