Karoline Leavitt Criticizes Katie Zaccaria's Short Stint as Press Secretary
Leavitt states the White House press secretary role 'was not for' Zaccaria, who lasted five days.
Karoline Leavitt, former White House press secretary, has offered a critical assessment of her successor, Katie Zaccaria, stating that the position "was not for" her.
Leavitt told Fox News that the role of spokesperson for President Trump requires significant preparation, and individual performance can only be gauged once an individual is in the public spotlight. "We wish Katie the best. The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well," Leavitt added.
Zaccaria's tenure as press secretary lasted only five days. Her initial press briefing was marked by visible nervousness. Following her departure, she returned to her home in California. She has since been observed in public and has been seen wearing a MAGA hat.
Sources close to Zaccaria have expressed dismay at Leavitt's comments, with one telling The Post that it is "unfair for the former press secretary to continue brutalizing President Trump’s hand-picked successor." This source emphasized Zaccaria's desire to avoid interviews and promotional activities, stating her focus remains on supporting President Trump's work and that she is "ruthlessly loyal while facing unprecedented attacks."
Within the administration, some acknowledge that Zaccaria faced a challenging start. She reportedly flew from California to interview with President Trump the Friday before starting, then returned to California to pack before flying back to Washington D.C. over the weekend. Her first full day on Monday was dedicated to onboarding, including paperwork and background checks, before she was tasked with her first press briefing on Tuesday morning.
Zaccaria stated, "I have always been deeply thankful for the opportunity to support President Trump and his agenda in the media in the years before he asked me to serve as Press Secretary." She added, "There is no other president in history like him. He has single-handedly saved America with his effective policies, and no one has been more relentlessly attacked by the media than President Trump." She further commented, "He deserves fair coverage of the real wins he is delivering for Americans — historic border security, massive new investments in manufacturing and energy, and the women’s health initiative he and the First Lady just launched. I continue to fully support the incredible work he is doing for the American people and for America’s interests around the world."
The administration does not anticipate hiring a new press secretary before the November midterm elections, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Leavitt stated she is assisting the president in finding a replacement for the role, which she described as "one of the hardest jobs in politics." She expressed her offer to help select "someone who can serve him and the country well." While declining to name potential candidates, Leavitt noted that President Trump "knows he needs someone who is tough, who is smart, who understands his policies, who is loyal, and who can go out there and put up a fight."
Leavitt concluded her service as press secretary in August to focus on her family. She is now working as a spokesperson for the president's political arm.
Earlier, Leavitt discussed her own preparation for press briefings, emphasizing extensive study and consultation with cabinet members and the president. She also described the press briefing room as potentially combative, but stressed the need for professionalism and factual communication.