Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is facing growing scrutiny just days after receiving one of Washington’s most visible communications jobs. Trump announced her appointment on October 9, 2026, following Karoline Leavitt’s departure in late August. Zacharia previously worked for Trump Media & Technology Group, appeared as a political commentator on Fox News and Newsmax, and held a communications role at the Department of Homeland Security. But questions about her professional credentials quickly emerged after reporters asked Trump where she had passed the bar exam. Although Zacharia earned a law degree from Pepperdine University in 2011, investigations by The Washington Post and journalist Judd Legum’s Popular Information newsletter reportedly found no record of her admission to practice law in any U.S. state. Legal experts stressed that graduating from law school does not automatically make someone a licensed attorney, leaving questions about her repeated public use of that title.

The scrutiny has extended beyond her résumé to social media posts she reportedly shared before joining the White House team. CNN’s KFile reviewed posts dating back to 2022 that included unsupported conspiracy claims involving prominent political figures and celebrities. Some referenced Pizzagate, a widely discredited theory falsely alleging a child-trafficking network connected to Democratic figures and a Washington, D.C., restaurant. Other posts reportedly touched on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, John Podesta, and comedian Joan Rivers. Zacharia responded to CNN by emphasizing her commitment to serving Trump and communicating his administration’s agenda, while White House communications director Steven Cheung praised her qualifications and expressed confidence in her ability to do the job. Her background also includes work at a Beijing law firm and a conservative California nonprofit, although questions remain about the precise nature of some roles she has described. As she settles into the position, Zacharia faces the challenge of answering questions about her past while building credibility with reporters and the American public.