Katie Zacharia holds first White House briefing, taking three reporters' questions
In short
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia held her first briefing on Tuesday, ending in less than 15 minutes after taking questions from three reporters, NBC News reported. She highlighted President Donald Trump's campaign appearances and said the White House would retain its rotating seat for additional media outlets.
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Katie Zacharia held her first briefing as White House press secretary on Tuesday, taking questions from three reporters before concluding in less than 15 minutes, NBC News reported. The outlet said all three reporters were from conservative outlets. PBS NewsHour reported that she began with a prepared statement about President Donald Trump's campaign rallies ahead of the midterm elections, then discussed topics including the economy and the US border. [ 13 , 17 ]
Zacharia took her first question from Breitbart News, which was in the briefing room as part of the additional-media rotation introduced by her predecessor, PBS reported. She said the White House would retain the seat and expand it to the extent possible. She also announced that Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, had been asked to resign. NBC News said the request came amid misconduct allegations. [ 13 , 15 ]
The new press secretary began the job Monday, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who left in August. CNBC reported that Trump announced Zacharia's appointment on Sunday. A lawyer and conservative commentator, she previously worked as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social. The Hill reported that she was taking over as the administration's top spokesperson three weeks before the midterm elections. [ 1 , 10 , 13 ]
Coverage offered contrasting assessments of the debut. Newsweek said the brief appearance and Zacharia's delivery and handling of questions generated criticism. The Washington Post reported that her opening statement praised Trump's energy and rally crowds, while noting unfilled seats at recent rallies. The White House described the briefing as commanding and a strong introduction to her tenure. The Boston Globe reported that Zacharia said her aim was to amplify Trump's work and that he was his own best spokesperson. [ 21 , 22 , 26 , 27 ]
Why it matters
Zacharia took over as the administration's top spokesperson three weeks before the midterm elections, The Hill reported. Her debut drew criticism over its brevity and handling of questions, while the White House described it as a strong introduction to her tenure.
Key facts
- Zacharia's first briefing ended in less than 15 minutes after questions from three reporters, all from conservative outlets, NBC News reported. [ 17 ]
- She said the White House would retain the additional-media seat and expand it where possible. [ 13 ]
- She succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the post in August. [ 1 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- No open questions in the coverage so far.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- PBS NewsHour reported Zacharia's first briefing and her remarks about campaign rallies and the media rotation. [ 13 ]
- NBC News reported that the briefing ended in less than 15 minutes after questions from three reporters. [ 17 ]
- The White House issued a favourable assessment of the inaugural briefing. [ 26 ]