Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has appointed Katie Zacharia to serve as the next White House press secretary. The president shared the news in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, describing Zacharia as a “devoted fan” and a brilliant, loyal supporter who has been with the movement since the beginning. Trump emphasized her “unblemished record of support” for his agenda.
Zacharia is set to take over the high-profile role from Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down at the end of August following the birth of her second child. The appointment was initially reported by the New York Times.
A California native with a long history in Republican politics, Zacharia attended Pepperdine University, where she served as president of the school’s College Republican organization and earned her law degree in 2011. Her past professional experience includes an internship in the White House office of political affairs during the second Bush administration, as well as time spent at the Republican National Committee.
Before her selection for this position, Zacharia worked as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and served as a communications adviser for the Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social. She previously held the role of general counsel at Fix California, a conservative nonprofit organization dedicated to “election integrity” that is led by diplomat and Trump ally Ric Grenell.
Beyond her political work, Zacharia was a frequent commentator on Fox News, where she often defended the president’s policies while offering sharp criticism of Democrats. She is married to film producer Tyler Zacharia, and the couple has four children.
