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Trump appoints Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary after Karoline Leavitt’s exit, ahead of midterms
President Donald Trump appointed Katie Zacharia, a communications adviser to Truth Social and Trump Media, as White House press secretary.
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US President Donald Trump has appointed Katie Zacharia, a communications adviser to his Truth Social platform, as the new White House press secretary, placing her at the center of his administration’s public messaging operation ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Trump announced the appointment on Friday, October 9, following the departure of Karoline Leavitt in August. Zacharia has worked as a senior communications adviser for Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, since June.
Praising his choice in a post on Truth Social, Trump described Zacharia as having an “unblemished record of support” and being a “loyal and brilliant supporter”.
“I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration,” Trump wrote.
Zacharia also welcomed the appointment in a post, saying she looked forward to working with the White House press corps and reporters across the country to communicate the president’s message.
Who is Katie Zacharia?
Zacharia is an attorney who has appeared frequently on conservative television networks Fox News and Newsmax. Before joining Trump Media, she briefly served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, leaving the role in March.
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She previously worked as a legal adviser for Fix California, a conservative organization focused on California politics. The group was founded by Richard Grenell, a Trump ally who has served as the president’s envoy to Venezuela and as interim president and executive director of the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Zacharia also interned at the White House during former President George W. Bush’s administration.
Her appointment brings someone with experience in conservative media, legal advocacy and the Trump-aligned communications network into one of the administration’s most visible public-facing roles.
As press secretary, she will be responsible for communicating the administration’s positions to journalists and the public, including through White House press briefings and responses to questions about presidential policy.
Appointment comes ahead of crucial midterm elections
Zacharia takes up the role as Republicans prepare for the November midterm elections, when voters will decide control of Congress and assess the president’s policy agenda.
The appointment comes at a politically challenging time for Trump. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found his approval rating had fallen to 32%, its lowest level of his political career, as Republicans expressed growing dissatisfaction with his handling of the cost of living and the Iran war.
The new press secretary will therefore be a key figure in the administration’s efforts to explain and defend its policies during the final stretch of the campaign.
Her selection also highlights the close links between the White House and Trump’s wider political and media operation.
In July, Trump Media announced plans to offer banks and trading firms paid access to posts from influential Truth Social accounts, including the president’s, with the company promoting the service as a way to provide information quickly to financial market participants.
Zacharia’s move from the Trump-aligned media operation to the White House places her at the intersection of those political and communications networks as the administration approaches a consequential electoral test.
(With agency inputs)
