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Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after just 5 days on the job
Her 14-minute debut briefing drew criticism, and questions over her legal credentials intensified before Trump said she should reconsider the job.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is departing after just five days on the job. President Donald Trump hinted at the exit on Friday, suggesting she "reconsider" the role following intense scrutiny over her legal credentials.
Scrutiny intensified after Zacharia admitted on Thursday she had not passed the bar exam. Her first press briefing on Tuesday lasted less than 15 minutes with only three questions, drawing criticism for stilted delivery and lack of preparedness.
During a Fox News interview on Thursday, Sean Hannity pressed Zacharia on her credentials. President Donald Trump later told reporters he had advised her, "You don't have to be treated this badly," defending her against media scrutiny.
Zacharia's exit marks the quickest departure for a Trump press secretary, surpassing Anthony Scaramucci's 10-day tenure. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the resignation "a sign of failure in the Republican White House."
As November midterm elections draw closer, Democrats are seizing on the departure to criticize Republican White House staffing. Zacharia praised President Donald Trump as "kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and the most hardworking man," writing it was an honour to work for him.
Daily News, Politics, Society and Culture podcast hosted by David Pakman
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Daily News, Politics, Society and Culture podcast hosted by David Pakman
Trump is going to have to fire her
The David Pakman Show discuss Katie Zacharia's rocky first briefing and questions over her bar credentials as Trump signals she should reconsider the job