White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia was dismissed after less than a week in the role, two U.S. officials confirmed on October 16, amid questions over her qualifications and challenges in her initial public appearances. Zacharia, who began her tenure on October 12 and held her first briefing the following day, is now in the process of transitioning out of the position.

Her departure leaves a critical communications gap for President Donald Trump with just over two weeks remaining before the November midterm elections. The administration had been seeking a strong media presence to promote its achievements and support Republican candidates ahead of the vote.

Trump told reporters on October 16 that he had urged Zacharia to reassess her continuation as press secretary after a difficult start, marked by scrutiny about her legal background and performance during briefings and interviews. “I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff,’” Trump said. “There’s nothing easy about this stuff.” He added that he planned to revisit the matter with her further.

Zacharia’s appointment came after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with media coverage of his administration, seeking a spokesperson who could better highlight his accomplishments. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt and said she was offered the job in early October after receiving a call about the opportunity on October 7.

Questions arose regarding Zacharia’s legal credentials shortly after she assumed the role. She had described her background as including a career practicing international transaction law and was identified by Trump as an attorney. However, records indicate she did not pass the bar exam, a requirement for legal practice in the United States, and there is no evidence she was admitted to any state or District of Columbia bar. Zacharia, a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, acknowledged during a Fox News interview on October 15 that she had not passed the bar.

Zacharia and White House representatives did not respond immediately to requests for comment about her exit. In earlier remarks on October 16 at the White House, she expressed eagerness to work with the press.

Trump indicated he was not in a hurry to name a new press secretary following Zacharia’s departure. Her tenure is believed to be the shortest in the history of the position. Anthony Scaramucci, who held a related communications role briefly during Trump’s first administration, commented on social media, noting the brevity of her service but expressing sympathy. “Records are made to be broken,” he wrote, adding, “But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”