Trump's new White House press secretary ousted after just five days - NYT

Her departure followed questions about her legal credentials and a poorly received debut before the White House press corps.

Zacharia, a conservative commentator who previously worked for Trump's company, began her new role on October 12. She had not even moved to Washington before losing the position.

During her first and only briefing on October 13, Zacharia largely read from prepared remarks and took questions from just three reporters. The question-and-answer session ended after approximately five and a half minutes.

She subsequently faced scrutiny over describing herself as a lawyer despite having failed the bar exam. Asked by a New York Times reporter which state she had passed the exam in, Zacharia twice replied, "When I moved to China." She later said she had misheard the question.

On October 16, Trump told reporters that he had encouraged Zacharia to reconsider whether she wanted the job.

"Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider," Trump said, recounting their conversation. "Katie, do you need this? I don't think you need this."

White House communications director Steven Cheung later said Zacharia would be "transitioning into a new role that will be announced at a later date."

Zacharia thanked Trump in a social media post, describing him as "a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man."

Her five-day tenure appears to be the shortest in the history of the White House press secretary position, according to The New York Times.

Anthony Scaramucci, who was dismissed as White House communications director after just 10 days during Trump's first term, reacted to the news on X.

"Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people's pain," he wrote.