Trump administration offers Katie Zacharia White House press secretary role

Katie Zacharia has been offered the role of White House press secretary after Karoline Leavitt left the post in August. The offer was confirmed by a White House official on Friday, October 9, 2026. Zacharia, who advises President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, has not yet responded to requests for comment. If she accepts, she would take on the job ahead of the midterm congressional elections scheduled for next month. The New York Times first broke the story. Zacharia previously served briefly as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, leaving that position in March. She is currently a senior communications adviser for Truth Social and the Trump Media & Technology Group, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before joining the administration, she worked as a legal adviser for Fix California, a conservative group founded by Richard Grenell. Grenell has acted as Trump’s envoy to Venezuela and now serves as interim president and executive director of the Kennedy Center in Washington. The move comes as the Trump administration prepares for a high‑stakes election cycle, and the press secretary role is seen as pivotal for managing the president’s messaging. No comment has been received from Zacharia at the time of publication.

Context

The White House press secretary acts as the primary spokesperson for the president, handling daily briefings and media relations. Appointing a new secretary close to elections can shape public perception of the administration’s priorities.