President Donald Trump has appointed conservative political strategist Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary, selecting a fierce defender of his administration who has spent recent months working for his media company.
Sixth Press Secretary Across Two Terms
Zacharia, 42, will become Trump’s sixth chief spokesperson across his two administrations. She currently serves as senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group and Truth Social platform, positions she has held since June. Trump praised her as “loyal” and “a devoted fan and member of MAGA” in his Friday announcement on Truth Social, emphasizing her “unblemished record of support” for his Make America Great Again movement.
The appointment follows the departure of former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who left the White House in August and reportedly joined Fox News. Trump highlighted Zacharia’s campaign work, noting she assisted in key swing states where Republicans won all seven contests. “I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country,” Trump wrote, adding that she has “the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration.”
Brief Government Stint, Long Republican Career
Despite her limited government experience, Zacharia brings decades of Republican political involvement. The mother of four worked briefly at the Department of Homeland Security from February to March this year, leaving due to travel strain between California and Washington. She previously interned for the Republican National Committee and served in the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Bush administration in 2006. A lawyer educated at Pepperdine University, she also clerked at a Beijing law firm in 2011 and served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative organization founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell.
Fierce Trump Defender
Zacharia has established herself as a vocal Trump supporter through frequent appearances on Newsmax and Fox News. She defended the president’s decision to host a televised UFC fight at the White House, telling the BBC that UFC principles “are the kind of principles that founded our Constitutional Republic.” Earlier this year, she wrote about refusing to remove her MAGA hat at a gym, calling the request “raw, unfiltered intolerance.” Justin Buchler, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve University, told the BBC that Trump’s second-term appointments have been “based on personal affiliation and loyalty,” noting the president “values loyalty first and foremost.”
Critical Moment For America
Zacharia thanked Trump in a post on X, calling her appointment “the honor of a lifetime” at America’s “critical 250-year mark.” She said Trump has “shown America that we can be great again” and pledged to work with the White House press corps and reporters nationwide. The press secretary position extends beyond briefing room appearances to managing relationships with journalists, coordinating across White House departments, and providing strategic media counsel to the president.