Katie Zacharia draws criticism after press secretary debut

As of October 14, 2026, Katie Zacharia began her role as the White House press secretary under President Donald Trump but faced immediate criticism for a poorly received debut briefing that lasted just 14 minutes and included only three questions from friendly journalists. Zacharia, who previously worked briefly at the Department of Homeland Security and currently serves as a communications advisor to Trump Media & Technology Group, replaced Karoline Leavitt, who left in August after her second child was born.

Zacharia’s first briefing drew ridicule from Democrats, left-wing commentators, and even some White House officials, with critics noting that she looked downward frequently, read directly from a script, and made errors such as mixing up the terms "husband" and "president." Despite this, President Trump defended her performance. Zacharia is now under constant scrutiny in a position known for its challenging role of managing contentious relationships with the press and providing media advice to the president.