Katie Zacharia’s stint as White House press secretary came to an abrupt end just five days after she assumed the role, confirming a swift exit amid mounting criticism of her performance and questions about her legal background. She had stepped in following Karoline Leavitt’s departure and faced scrutiny after a shaky first briefing that lasted less than six minutes. During that session, Zacharia revealed that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle had been asked to resign, marking a notable shake-up among Trump administration officials.

President Donald Trump publicly suggested Zacharia resign, telling her, “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want,” during remarks outside the White House. Trump acknowledged the harsh treatment Zacharia received, blaming the media for being tough on her despite her efforts in the job. His comments came amid an atmosphere of turmoil within the administration, with several other high-ranking women also leaving their posts recently.

Zacharia, a conservative commentator with prior ties to Trump Media & Technology Group, faced intensified scrutiny regarding claims about her legal qualifications, particularly over whether she had passed a bar exam. Despite her characterization of herself as a “lawyer,” reports and media questioning, including from Fox News host Sean Hannity, cast doubt on those claims. The White House initially defended her, with communications director Steven Cheung praising her performance shortly after she began.

Her brief tenure, even shorter than former communications director Anthony Scaramucci’s famously short 11-day run in 2017, leaves the Trump White House continuing to grapple with stability among its communications staff just weeks ahead of the midterm elections. Trump’s focus remains on rallying support for Republican candidates, but the rapid turnover in key roles, combined with public faltering moments, has added challenges to his campaign messaging efforts.