Katie Zacharia Named White House Press Secretary, Set for Debut
Zacharia, a former Trump Media & Technology Group advisor, will step into the role previously held by Karoline Leavitt.
Katie Zacharia is poised to make her debut as the White House press secretary on Tuesday, stepping into the role following the departure of Karoline Leavitt. President Donald Trump announced Zacharia's appointment on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday.
Zacharia, an attorney and television commentator, previously served as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, the entity behind Truth Social. Her appointment fills a position vacant since Leavitt left the White House in August.
During his first administration, Trump cycled through four press secretaries: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany. Leavitt held the position for 19 months in Trump's second administration before leaving.
Prior to her role in Trump's media operations, Zacharia served as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs and a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. She appeared on "Fox & Friends Weekend" following her appointment, highlighting a recent deal announced by Trump to supply diesel fuel to U.S. and global markets, which she stated aims to lower fuel and grocery costs.
"President Trump has heard people have been frustrated with the gas prices. People are frustrated with the increasing grocery prices. And he is delivering what he always does, which are solutions," Zacharia said during the television appearance.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Zacharia expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve. "Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime," she wrote. "President Trump has shown America that we can be great again, and he works to effectuate that greatness every single day. His confidence is a true privilege, and his leadership is a blessing to this country."
She added, "The work ahead is to continue delivering strong results for our Country and communicating to the American people the major wins that this Administration is making every single day. I look forward to working with the White House press corps, and with reporters across the country, to get that record out."
Zacharia also acknowledged the standard set by her predecessor, stating, "Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting."
Since Leavitt's departure, the White House press briefings have been led by senior administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Todd Blanche. During the summer, a rotating lineup of officials led the briefings while Leavitt was on maternity leave.
Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, commented on Zacharia's appointment, telling Fox News Digital that she has been an "effective champion of MAGA movement and America First policies" and possesses Trump's trust. He also humorously noted that Zacharia is a "genuinely kind person who will work well with the press corps."