Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said she learned three lessons from the five days she spent at the helm of the Trump administration's communications team.
"The biggest lessons are to stay true to your character, focus on the work in front of you, and refuse to be defined by the critics," Zacharia said, according to a New York Post opinion piece.
Zacharia, a former conservative commentator and communications adviser for President Donald Trump's Truth Social platform, was named as White House press secretary on October 9 following Karoline Leavitt's departure earlier this year. Her first White House press briefing was October 13, and she was fired on October 16. Her brief five-day tenure was marked by controversy and criticism, including scrutiny over her failure to pass the California bar exam.
Trump dismissed her last Friday, while also saying she had been treated unfairly by the press. After her departure, Zacharia thanked the president for the opportunity. She shared the lessons with the New York Post.
She said it was "an honor" to answer Trump's "call to serve," and that she was proud of herself.
“Answering the president’s call to serve was an honor, and my kids were able to see their mom step up for one of the most sought-after jobs in the world,” she said. “I’m proud I said yes, stood firm in what I believe, and kept supporting the president even when the circumstances weren’t ideal for me—showing my children what courage looks like in the face of criticism.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email for comment on Tuesday.
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Who Will Replace Zacharia?
Trump has not yet announced the new White House press secretary following Zacharia's departure, but several conservative voices have already made their desire for the job known.
Among them are Laura Loomer and George Santos.
“Hey I’m not technically open for a job because I have one already…. butttttttt…I’d jump to serve POTUS as press secretary in a heart beat. Just saying,” Santos, a former Republican congressman who was expelled from office amid numerous scandals, wrote on X Friday night.
Loomer, a prominent conservative commentator and part-time adviser to Trump, also put herself forward.
"Hear me out: press secretary Laura Loomer," she posted on X Friday.
Why Katie Zacharia Left the White House
Zacharia's first briefing drew significant scrutiny over a number of comments she made and her failure to pass the California bar exam. Trump publicly raised questions about Zacharia’s future on Friday, telling reporters he had encouraged her to reconsider whether the job was right for her.
On Friday night, in a post on X, Zacharia publicly thanked Trump after the dismissal.
"President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man," she said. "I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Geoffrey Rowland.