Katie Zacharia made her debut as White House press secretary on Tuesday, conducting a brief, 14-minute session with reporters before deferring questions to President Donald Trump, who was preparing to depart for a campaign trip to Alaska. Zacharia, a conservative commentator and former spokesperson, was appointed to the role on Friday, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who left in August for a position at Fox News.
During her initial appearance, Zacharia outlined her objective to amplify Trump’s message, describing the president as “his own best spokesperson.” She read from a prepared statement highlighting Trump’s recent campaign rallies, policy priorities including energy, tariffs, and immigration, and vowed to continue the “new media” rotation established under her predecessor to include a wider array of media outlets in White House briefings.
Zacharia has a legal background, holding a law degree from Pepperdine University, and previously held a brief role as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year. She has also worked as a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax. Upon her appointment, Trump characterized her as “a loyal and brilliant supporter” from the early stages of his political career.
In response to questions, Zacharia took inquiries from just three media outlets, including Breitbart News, a conservative platform that has grown influential during Trump’s political resurgence. She ended the session abruptly, suggesting reporters direct questions to Trump himself as he boarded Marine One.
President Trump complimented Zacharia’s performance, saying she did “excellent” and “very good.”
In a notable revelation during the briefing, Zacharia announced that Trump had requested the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, following reports alleging improper and potentially illegal conduct during her tenure in Athens. Zacharia described Guilfoyle as “a wonderful asset to the team” and extended best wishes for her future.
Zacharia expressed enthusiasm for her role, stating she had long aspired to work for Trump and viewed her job as a continuation of her prior efforts to promote his agenda to the American public. Her appointment and early press performance signal a continuation of the administration’s close alignment with conservative media voices and a focus on advancing Trump’s political priorities ahead of the midterm elections.