Karoline Leavitt speaks out after Katie Zacharia leaves White House role in five days

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the role "obviously was not for her" regarding her successor, Katie Zacharia, who departed after just five days. Leavitt added that she is currently assisting US President Donald Trump in choosing the next press secretary. Zacharia was named press secretary on October 9, held a single 14-minute briefing taking questions from three reporters, traveled to campaign rallies, and left her post after being sacked on October 16. Her tenure is reported to be the shortest-serving White House press secretary in US history, breaking the previous record set by Anthony Scaramucci in 2017. Leavitt served as press secretary from January 2025 until August 27, 2026, when she left to spend time with her children, and she will join Fox News as an on-air contributor on November 1.

Context

The White House press secretary position is a high-profile and demanding role that involves daily communication between the administration and the media. Rapid changes in this position highlight the intense public scrutiny and unique challenges associated with speaking on behalf of the US president.