Trump Press Secretary Zacharia Ousted After Five Days

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has been pushed out after less than a week in the high-profile role, following a series of blunders that have added to distractions for her embattled boss, President Donald Trump.

Based on AFP report, a White House official confirmed on Friday that Zacharia was “transitioning out” of the role. Her departure followed reports that Trump had suggested she reconsider her position after several controversies.

Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt but faced scrutiny after her first press briefing on Tuesday, which lasted less than 15 minutes. She read out a list of the administration’s accomplishments and answered three questions before ending the session.

Her claims about her legal qualifications also drew criticism. Zacharia had described herself as a lawyer despite not passing the bar exam. She later said she had not retaken the exam and that practising law had never been her intention.

“It was never my intent to go into the practice of law,” she said, adding that people had assured her she could “label myself a lawyer” because she had a law degree.

Zacharia also said she had been distracted and overwhelmed by plans to move to China. During an interview with conservative activist Jack Posobiec, she made remarks about Chinese toilets that triggered further criticism.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, responded to the comments by saying Zacharia should “visit China more often.”

Her departure comes as Trump seeks to strengthen Republican support before the November 3 congressional midterm elections. The administration has faced concerns over the Iran war, inflation and corruption, while political pressure has grown over issues affecting voters.

The White House has not publicly provided further details about Zacharia’s departure.