White House Press Secretary Faces Scrutiny Over Legal Credentials

New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is confronting significant questions about her professional background and resume as she assumes the role of spokesperson for the Trump administration. Reports indicate that despite frequently identifying herself as a lawyer throughout her career, particularly during her time as a commentator for conservative media outlets, there is no evidence she has passed the bar exam in any U.S. state or in China, where she previously worked for a law firm.

These inquiries follow President Donald Trump's appointment of Zacharia, who had a brief tenure at his social media company prior to her selection. Her initial press briefing on Tuesday was met with widespread criticism.

When asked by reporters about where Zacharia had passed the bar, following a report by the outlet Popular Information suggesting she was not licensed in any state, President Trump deferred to Zacharia. She responded, "When I moved to China," but did not complete her sentence. It is noteworthy that China's national bar examination is reportedly only open to Chinese citizens.

The White House provided a statement from Zacharia detailing her educational background: a bachelor of arts degree from Pepperdine University in 2007 and a law degree from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011. The statement further asserted, "I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials."

Steven Cheung, White House communications director, defended Zacharia, stating she is "uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his Administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as press secretary.”

Zacharia's LinkedIn profile indicates she has served as a senior communications adviser at the Trump Media & Technology Group since June and held the position of deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year. From 2011 to 2013, her profile states she was an associate on the International Practice Team at the Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing and managed fundraising and communications for Compassion for Migrant Children from 2012 to 2013. She also served as general counsel for Fix California, a group founded by former Trump administration official Richard Grenell.

Neither the Zhong Lun Law Firm nor the two mentioned groups have responded to inquiries regarding Zacharia's tenure and background. Zacharia has also identified herself as a lawyer on social media platforms and her author page at the California Globe. A press release from NovaRed Mining Inc. in June 2023 mentioned her professional experience included work related to international legal and financial transactions with organizations associated with the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation during her time at Zhong Lun Law Firm.

President Trump, in announcing her hire on his social media site, described Zacharia as "a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax." He also called her "a loyal and brilliant supporter" and a "devoted fan and member of MAGA!"

Public records from the State Bar of California show no license for Kate Sharon Zacharia or any variation of her name. Rick Coca, a spokesperson for the State Bar of California, confirmed that they have "no record of Kate Sharon Zacharia or Kate Sharon Black" having been licensed to practice law in California. A query by Popular Information reportedly found no record of her bar license in any of the 50 states or Washington, D.C.

The watchdog group Campaign for Accountability has filed a complaint with the State Bar of California, requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia has misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of state law. The State Bar has stated it cannot confirm ongoing investigations due to confidentiality regulations.