Katie Zacharia out as White House press secretary after five days. President Trump issues statement on Katie.

President Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is out of the role less than a week after starting. White House officials told multiple outlets she was “let go” or is “transitioning out.” Trump told reporters Friday he had just spoken to her and suggested she reconsider the job. “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” he said. “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this.” He added that she had been treated “pretty nastily” and “very rough” by the media and that she might continue working for him “in some form, but maybe a more pleasant form.”

Zacharia held one briefing on Tuesday. She faced criticism for largely reading from a script and taking only three questions. She also faced scrutiny after Trump called her an attorney; she graduated from Pepperdine Law but told Fox News she did not pass the bar exam and is not licensed to practice law. She succeeded Karoline Leavitt. Her five-day tenure is shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s 10 days as communications director in Trump’s first term.

BREAKING: Katie Zacharia 'transitioning out' of job as Trump's press secretary, senior White House official tells @pdoocy pic.twitter.com/FJb9QCZwZh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 16, 2026

REPORTER: “You’re saying you’re considering a new role for [Katie Zacharia]?”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I said, 'when I get back, we're going to talk,' because I don't think that Katie should be made to suffer like she's suffering at the hands of the press.”
“So I will talk to her as… pic.twitter.com/6Bb4jLihYZ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 16, 2026