Katie Zacharia is leaving her job as White House press secretary one week after President Donald Trump named her to the post, White House officials told Fox News and the Washington Examiner on Friday.
A senior White House official told Fox News Digital that Zacharia is “transitioning out” of the role. Another White House official confirmed the move to the Washington Examiner.
What Trump said
Trump spoke to reporters on the South Lawn on Friday before leaving for a campaign stop in Georgia. “I said to Katie: you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he said, according to the Washington Examiner.
- Her call: Trump said he would “let her make that decision” and planned to talk with her when he returns to Washington this weekend, the Examiner reported. Officials confirmed her exit later Friday.
- Not fired, he said: Asked whether he had fired her, Trump answered, “No no. I want her to have a good life,” Fox News reported.
- On the coverage: “She’s been brutalized by the media,” Trump said.
A short stay at the podium
- Named Oct. 9: Trump picked Zacharia for the job on Oct. 9. iSEARK.com covered her first briefing this week.
- One briefing: Her only briefing, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, lasted 14 minutes. She took questions from three reporters, Fox News reported.
- Law license question: Trump had called her an attorney when he announced the pick. On Fox News’ “Hannity” on Thursday night, Zacharia said she did not pass the bar exam and has never held a U.S. law license.
- Earlier jobs: She was a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, which runs Truth Social. She also spent about six weeks this year as a Homeland Security spokeswoman.
Wiles stays, Trump says
Trump also said there is “zero chance” chief of staff Susie Wiles will leave. He called reports that he was looking for her replacement a “fake story,” the Washington Examiner reported.
Neither outlet reported a successor for Zacharia as of Friday afternoon.
Sources: Fox News Digital, “Katie Zacharia dropped as press secretary after one week on the job,” and the Washington Examiner, “Trump transitioning Katie Zacharia out of press secretary role — but will keep Susie Wiles,” both published Oct. 16, 2026.
