Trump Administration Offers Katie Zacharia White House Press Secretary Role
The administration of US President Donald Trump has offered Katie Zacharia the position of White House press secretary, an administration official confirmed on Friday.
The confirmation followed media reports earlier in the day citing anonymous sources. Trump also announced on social media that Zacharia would replace former press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Praising Zacharia, Trump said she had previously worked on his election campaigns, focusing on key battleground states where Republicans won all seven targeted contests.
“She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning,” Trump wrote.
Zacharia welcomed the offer in a post on X, describing the opportunity to serve Trump and the American people as a great honour as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary.
She also expressed her willingness to work with White House correspondents and journalists across the country to communicate the administration’s record.
“Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting,” she wrote.
Extensive experience in politics and communications
Since June, Zacharia has served as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media, the company that owns the president’s social media platform, Truth Social, according to her LinkedIn profile. Earlier this year, she also worked for approximately two months at the Department of Homeland Security.
Her professional background includes serving as a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax until earlier in 2026. She also worked as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative activist organisation founded by Richard Grenell, Trump’s special presidential envoy.
Zacharia has longstanding ties to the Republican Party. Her experience includes working in the White House Office of Political Affairs during President George W. Bush’s second term and serving as an intern at the Republican National Committee.
Trump praised her while speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for a campaign event in Syracuse.
“She’s a great person,” he said, adding that she was familiar with many reporters and would, in his view, perform well in the role.
Criticism of Chinese Communist Party
Zacharia’s background also includes several years living in Beijing, beginning in 2011. During subsequent media appearances, she became a vocal critic of censorship by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In an appearance on the “Clay and Buck” programme several weeks ago, she said she had worked at a Chinese law firm that served as outside counsel to international financial institutions. She also described experiencing censorship and surveillance by Chinese authorities.
Zacharia praised Trump’s approach to China, describing him as the most decisive US president in confronting the country.
She also warned that China posed a significant threat to American sovereignty, citing concerns about Beijing’s activities in the United States.
In 2022, Zacharia called on the CCP to “free the Uyghurs,” referring to the predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group in western China that has faced extensive restrictions and human rights concerns.
White House communications under scrutiny
Leavitt, who previously served as White House press secretary, left the administration in August after giving birth to her second child. She is scheduled to join Fox News as a contributor beginning November 1.
Since her departure, the White House has held relatively few official press briefings. Vice President JD Vance, however, held a news conference on Thursday to outline the administration’s efforts to combat visa fraud.
The administration has also barred three media outlets—Politico, CNN and MS Now—from attending White House events. A federal judge is expected to rule on legal efforts by the outlets to block enforcement of the restrictions.
Trump has recently expressed frustration with his administration’s public relations performance ahead of the November midterm elections.
Speaking at an event earlier in October, he argued that negative media coverage had prevented the administration from effectively communicating its achievements.
“Our country has never done better,” Trump said, adding that his administration was doing a good job running the country but needed to improve its public relations efforts.