NY Governor's Office Mocks New White House Press Secretary's Debut

New York Governor Kathy Hochul's press office drew criticism Tuesday for appearing to mock the debut of new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia by posting a photo of NFL player Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury.

The governor's press account shared an image of Rodgers carrying an American flag before his September 2023 debut with the New York Jets, an appearance that ended after four snaps due to a torn Achilles tendon. The post was shared in conjunction with a White House announcement of Zacharia's first briefing.

While Hochul's office offered no written explanation for the juxtaposition, the move drew comparisons to Zacharia's introductory press conference and was widely interpreted as a jab. The post circulated as Zacharia, who succeeded Karoline Leavitt, was beginning her tenure in the role.

Critics noted the irony of the post given that Hochul's own press secretary, Avi Small, resigned in July 2025 following a sexual harassment investigation. Small was placed on leave after a complaint was filed regarding alleged inappropriate touching at an Albany bar.

At the time, Hochul's communications director stated the governor had "zero tolerance for misconduct by any New York State employee" and that the system had worked to address the issue. Hochul herself defended her administration's response, asserting that "the culture was changed."

Zacharia's first briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes. Following the briefing, President Donald Trump praised her performance, stating, "I thought she did excellent. She did very good." The White House also issued a release commending Zacharia's debut and her commitment to promoting Trump's agenda.

The governor's press account has previously engaged in a confrontational social media strategy, described by its rapid-response director as a means to counter attacks from the Trump administration.