US media reports differ on whether she is leaving the role.
TBS Report
17 October, 2026, 12:05 am
Last modified: 17 October, 2026, 12:12 am
Katie Zacharia has reportedly been fired as White House press secretary just five days after taking up the post, according to US media reports published today (16 October).
The New York Times reported that Zacharia had been dismissed, while Fox News said she was "transitioning out" of the role.
Zacharia had a rocky start to her brief tenure, hosting a first press briefing on Tuesday that drew widespread criticism. She also faced questions about her legal credentials after admitting that she had not passed the bar exam.
She was offered the press secretary position on 9 October, following a career spent largely as a conservative political commentator and in communications roles.
In an interview with The Guardian on Thursday, Zacharia discussed the rapid developments that led to her appointment.