Katie Zacharia leaves White House press secretary role after days on the job

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is leaving her position just days after starting the role, following a rocky start and a conversation where US President Donald Trump told her to reconsider.

What Happened

Zacharia gave only one press briefing on Tuesday, which ended abruptly after fourteen minutes. Witnesses noted she appeared nervous and stilted while reading prepared remarks. Following the briefing, she joined Trump on a cross-country trip visiting Alaska, Arizona, and Montana for midterm election rallies. Rumours about her future grew after she was notably absent later in the week. Outside the White House before boarding Marine One, Trump told reporters he advised Zacharia to reconsider her role because she had been treated very badly by the media. The White House later confirmed she is transitioning out of the position, though no specific departure timeline was provided.

Context

White House press secretaries handle daily media briefings and act as the primary spokespersons for the administration. High turnover among communications staff has been a notable feature of Donald Trump's administrations. Former communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who famously lasted only a short period in 2017, joked on social media about records being broken.