PUERTO RICO · UNITED STATES POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What is happening Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary on Friday, 16 October, five days after starting on Monday, 12 October, though President Donald Trump says he did not fire her.
- —Why it matters The White House has named no replacement, so the administration has no named press secretary ahead of the November midterm elections, after a week of questions about her law credentials.
- —The numbers She served five days, her only briefing on Tuesday, 13 October lasted about 14 minutes with three questions, and CBS News says she failed the California bar exam in 2011.
- —Who is who Zacharia is a conservative commentator and former Trump Media adviser who succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left in August, and Steven Cheung is the White House communications director.
- —What to watch Whether Trump names a new press secretary, which he is reportedly in no rush to do, and whether Zacharia takes another administration role, which is not confirmed.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket’s open Next Press Secretary market, with about US$64,700 traded, gives Scott Jennings 20% and Anna Kelly 11% (17 October, 2:26 a.m. ET).
- —What it means for you Until a successor is named, policy news for US readers and investors will come mainly from the president’s own remarks and statements by the communications office.
Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after five days. Trump says he did not fire her, and no successor is named.
Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary, two US officials told CBS News on Friday, 16 October. She had held the job for five days.
The exit matters to US readers because the briefing room is the administration’s regular channel to the press and the public. President Donald Trump said he had urged her to “reconsider” but denied firing her.
How Katie Zacharia’s Press Secretary Tenure Ended
Two senior administration officials confirmed to Axios that Zacharia was ousted on Friday. A senior White House official told Fox News Digital she is “transitioning out” of the role.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn, Trump said he had told her to reconsider and that “maybe it’s not for her.” Asked whether he had fired her, he said no, that outlet reported.
Trump also said the press had been “so nasty” to her, according to CBS News and Axios. Neither outlet quotes an on-the-record reason from the White House.
Puerto Rican outlets including El Vocero, Metro Puerto Rico and Noticel carried the story on Friday. They relay US reporting and are not counted here as independent confirmation.
A Short Debut and a Law Licence Question
Trump announced Zacharia on Friday, 9 October, as the successor to Karoline Leavitt, who left in August. She started on Monday, 12 October.
Her first briefing, on Tuesday, 13 October, lasted about 14 minutes and took questions from three outlets. CBS News says she read prepared remarks for about 10 minutes and said she had little time to prepare.
The scrutiny then turned to her law credentials, after Trump called her an “attorney” when announcing the job. On Thursday she said in a television interview that she did not pass the bar exam.
CBS News says she failed the California exam in 2011 after graduating from Pepperdine law school. It adds that she said Pepperdine’s president told her she could call herself a “lawyer” but not an “attorney.”
Axios reports she said she never retook the exam because she was moving to China. It adds that Trump was “blindsided” to learn she was no attorney, and a source says her explanations did not satisfy him.
Who Katie Zacharia Is
Zacharia is a conservative commentator and a graduate of Pepperdine University’s law school in California. She was a senior communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates Truth Social.
Earlier in 2026 she spent six weeks at the Department of Homeland Security as a deputy assistant secretary for public affairs. Axios says her hiring was Trump’s own decision, with input from his personal assistant, Natalie Harp.
On Wednesday, communications director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital she was a “fabulous and wonderful addition to the team.” Fox says the @PressSec X account was never switched over to her.
On X, Zacharia praised Trump and said working for him was an honor, Axios reports. CBS News says she was seen at the White House on Friday morning.
What It Means for US Readers
Press briefings are a regular route for White House policy announcements that move markets. Until a successor is named, that role falls mainly to Trump’s own remarks and the communications office.
Puerto Ricans are US citizens, and Spanish-language outlets on the island followed the story closely. For readers following the November midterm elections, the episode shows how personnel changes can shape White House messaging.
No statement on the matter appeared on the White House briefings page on Saturday. The officials quoted here are anonymous.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket’s open market “Next Press Secretary?” had about US$64,700 traded on Saturday, 17 October, at 2:26 a.m. ET. It gave Scott Jennings 20% and Anna Kelly 11%, Most other names had almost no trading, so their prices mean little.
A second market, on when a successor is announced, had about US$31,100 traded. It priced an announcement by 31 October at 19.5%, by 30 November at 56.5% and by 31 December at 81.5%.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
Whether Zacharia resigned or was dismissed is not settled, because Trump denies firing her while officials describe her as ousted. No official reason has been given on the record.
No successor has been named, and Axios reports Trump is in “no rush.” CBS News says sources expect her to take a new administration role, but it does not say which.
The officials who confirmed the departure are unnamed in every account reviewed. Fox counts her tenure as seven days, while CBS News and Axios say five.
What Comes Next
The next step is a decision on who briefs the press, which the White House has not announced. It has not said who will brief reporters in the meantime.
Zacharia’s own next role is unconfirmed. For background, see what we know about Katie Zacharia’s White House exit and the earlier note on Karoline Leavitt’s departure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Katie Zacharia still the White House press secretary?
Two US officials told CBS News she is out after five days. Trump says he did not fire her but urged her to reconsider.
Why did Katie Zacharia leave?
No official reason has been given on the record. Reports link the exit to her short debut briefing and questions about her law licence.
When did Katie Zacharia start and finish?
She started on Monday, 12 October, after Trump announced her on Friday, 9 October. She was reported out on Friday, 16 October.
Who replaces Katie Zacharia?
No successor has been named. Axios reports Trump is in no rush, and Polymarket traders put Scott Jennings among the top prices at 20%.
Is Katie Zacharia a lawyer?
She graduated from Pepperdine law school but says she did not pass the bar exam. She has no US law licence, she said in a television interview.
Sources: Axios, 16 October 2026; CBS News, 16 October 2026; Fox News Digital, 16 October 2026; Metro Puerto Rico; El Vocero; Noticel; White House briefings and statements page (all accessed 17 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief