Trump says new White House press secretary should reconsider her role

President Donald Trump said he advised new White House press secretary Keti Zakhariya (Кэти Захария) to reconsider her role after criticism of her early performance. Vedomosti, citing Bloomberg, reported his remarks to journalists at the White House. RIA Novosti also quoted Trump as saying that he had told her he would reconsider the decision in her place. The two outlets reported his question to her about whether she needed the job. [ 2 , 3 ]

According to Vedomosti, Trump said she did not have to continue if she did not want to and that he believed she had been treated roughly. Asked whether he would force her to leave, he said she should make that decision herself. He said he would speak with her after campaign rallies in Georgia and Kentucky and a weekend in Palm Beach. RIA Novosti quoted him as saying they were discussing the possibility of doing something, without specifying what that would involve. [ 2 , 3 ]

RIA Novosti reported that her first briefing took place on Tuesday, lasted about 14 minutes and drew criticism in the press. It said she attributed the short briefing to insufficient preparation time and that Trump had announced her appointment the previous Friday. Vedomosti said she had been in the job for only a week. The outlet also reported questions about her résumé and qualifications after she described herself as a lawyer without having passed the relevant examination. [ 2 , 3 ]

Vedomosti said she succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the press secretary's post in August. It reported that a departure would leave Trump without a White House press secretary ahead of November's congressional midterm elections. The headlines differed in their framing: TASS and RIA Novosti described Trump's remarks as advice to leave, while Vedomosti described advice to reconsider her role. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]