Leavitt Compares Successor's Brief Tenure to 'The Apprentice'

Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt drew a parallel between her successor Katie Zacharia's brief tenure and contestants on Donald Trump's reality show "The Apprentice" during an appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." Zacharia lasted less than a week in the role.

"I mean, the President did have a hit show called the The Apprentice where he's known for moving on from people, so hey, it's in his nature to do that type of thing, I guess," Leavitt said when asked by Maher for advice for Zacharia. Maher, in turn, joked that he hoped he would not be next to face dismissal from Trump's orbit.

Leavitt expressed empathy for Zacharia, acknowledging the immense pressure of the White House Press Secretary position, which she described as one of the most challenging jobs in Washington. "I give anyone who steps up to that podium credit because only 37 people in history have been the White House Press Secretary," Leavitt stated.

She ultimately agreed with Trump's decision to replace Zacharia, saying, "The pressure in that room is enormous, the press are vicious and I give her credit for standing up there and as the President said, it wasn't a good fit. That's okay, I wish her well, we're onto the next."

Leavitt, who spent the first 18 months of Trump's second term in the role, suggested it is a highly desirable position. "It's a great job, it's a fun job and there's a lot of qualified people who want it." She had previously told Fox News that "the job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well."

Reflecting on her own appointment, Leavitt shared that Trump had encouraged her despite others suggesting she was too young for the role. "Honey, lots of people said you were too young and I told them I was building buildings in Manhattan when I was your age and you can do it," Trump reportedly told her.

Zacharia's appointment on October 9 was followed by her first briefing on October 13, which lasted 14 minutes and featured questions from only three reporters. Despite Trump's initial praise, questions arose about Zacharia's preparation and experience. It was also revealed that she had failed California's bar exam in 2011, though she had previously appeared on news channels as a legal analyst.

Leavitt's own path to the press secretary role involved a longer preparation period. Trump announced her appointment on November 15, 2024, while president-elect, but she did not deliver her first briefing until January 28, 2025, over two months later. Leavitt, then 27, became the youngest White House Press Secretary in history. Her debut briefing lasted approximately 46 minutes.

Leavitt announced her departure on August 12, citing a desire to spend more time with her family. She agreed to remain an outside adviser to the president. She is set to join Fox News as an on-air contributor beginning November 1.