Donald Trump has removed Katie Zacharia from the role of White House Press Secretary after less than a week in the job. Her tenure lasted just five days, ending after a disastrous first briefing and mounting questions about her qualifications.
Briefing blunder and legal scrutiny
Zacharia was appointed on Monday to replace Karoline Leavitt as the President's spokesperson. But her first briefing on Tuesday drew ridicule after she mistakenly referred to her husband as "my President".
She also faced scrutiny over her legal credentials, having claimed to be a lawyer despite never having passed a bar exam. Zacharia graduated from law school, but in the US that alone does not grant a licence to practice law.
President's advice to reconsider
Fox News reports that Zacharia is now "transitioning out" of her job at the White House after the President told her she should "reconsider" the role. Speaking to reporters outside Marine One, he said: "I said Katie, you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want. If I were you I'd reconsider."
Her departure echoes that of Anthony Scaramucci, who served as Trump's communications chief for 10 days in July 2017. Scaramucci's rapid fall became shorthand for Trump's first term in the White House, according to the Mirror.
Interview responses and unanswered questions
Asked on Fox News earlier today if she had the President's confidence after a rocky start, including scrutiny over her claims to be a lawyer, Zacharia said: "I hope to be able to build the trust and confidence of everyone around me."
During the interview, she said she was not asked about passing the bar before getting the job. She was also asked about the administration's investigation into Democratic House Representative Ilhan Omar and declined to answer, deferring to the Justice Department.
