Trump Picks Katie Zacharia as New Press Secretary
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has appointed attorney and conservative television commentator Katie Zacharia as his next White House press secretary, ending weeks of speculation about who would fill one of the most visible roles in his administration. Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, describing Zacharia as a “devoted fan and member of MAGA” who will “deliver strong results for our Country.”
The appointment, first reported by Fox News, reshapes the administration’s public-facing messaging operation as Trump heads into a politically charged stretch ahead of the midterm elections.
Who Is Katie Zacharia?
Zacharia, a California native and mother of four, is no stranger to either the MAGA media ecosystem or the administration’s orbit. She currently serves as a senior communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates Truth Social, and has been a frequent commentator on Fox News and Newsmax.
A graduate of Pepperdine University and its Caruso School of Law, Zacharia earned her law degree in 2011. She first came to Washington in 2006, interning at the Republican National Committee and in the White House Office of Political Affairs during George W. Bush’s second term. She later worked on Trump’s campaigns in key swing states, a point the president emphasized in his announcement, noting his victories there.
Her most recent government service came in early 2026, when she served as a spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security during Kristi Noem’s tenure as secretary. Anadolu Agency reports that she held that post from February to March 2026. According to the New York Post, she spent about three months at the agency, leaving after Markwayne Mullin took over as secretary in March and later citing the California-to-Washington commute as a strain on her family.
The Announcement and the Vacancy
The press secretary’s chair had been empty since the end of August, when Karoline Leavitt stepped down. Leavitt, who became the youngest White House press secretary in history when she was appointed in January 2025 at age 27, announced her departure on Aug. 12, 2026, to spend time with family after the birth of her second child. Fox News announced on Oct. 5 that Leavitt would join the network as an on-air contributor.
During the vacancy, the White House adopted a rotating lineup of senior officials to field questions, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Trump confirmed the selection to reporters at the White House, saying, “She’s a friend of most of you. I know she likes people. She likes all of you, actually. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but we just hired a new press secretary. And she’s going to be, I think, terrific.”
A Familiar Path From Media to the Podium
Zacharia’s selection continues a well-established pattern: Trump has repeatedly drawn senior communications staff from MAGA-aligned media. The move underscores the administration’s preference for messaging figures who are already fluent in the language of the president’s political base, rather than traditional institutional communications hands.
In her own statement posted to X, Zacharia framed the role in expansive terms. “Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime,” she wrote, adding that “following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting.”
Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, offered a supportive assessment to Fox News Digital, saying Zacharia “has been an effective champion of MAGA movement and America First policies — and most importantly clearly has [the] trust of President Trump.”
Media Access Under Scrutiny
The appointment lands amid escalating tension between the administration and the press. As Al Jazeera reported, Trump has launched an unprecedented effort to restrict media outlets’ access to his administration and the White House, and a federal judge on Thursday temporarily extended a block on an order barring CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House — a decision the judge said would be revisited the following week.
According to the New York Post, Zacharia’s arrival could also unsettle internal dynamics. Her ties to Trump allies Ric Grenell and Corey Lewandowski — who reportedly have long-standing friction with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — may complicate relationships inside the West Wing.
What’s Next
Zacharia inherits a briefing room that has operated under unusual conditions for weeks and a press corps navigating both a contentious political moment and new obstacles to access. Her first briefing will be closely watched as a signal of how the administration intends to manage its relationship with reporters through the midterm campaign.
For now, the president is projecting confidence. Whether that confidence translates into a smoother, more open communications operation — or a more combative one — will become clear as the midterms approach.