White House press secretary admits she did not pass a bar exam after lawyer claims
In short
Katie Zakaria (ケイティ・ザカリア), the new White House press secretary, said on 15 October that she has not passed a bar exam. The Wall Street Journal had reported on 14 October that she failed the California bar after law school, although President Trump introduced her as a lawyer. A Mainichi Shimbun headline on 17 October says she was dismissed, but no other document in the set confirms this.
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Katie Zakaria (ケイティ・ザカリア), the White House press secretary, acknowledged on 15 October that she has not passed a bar exam, according to Nikkei, Asahi and Yomiuri. Asked whether she had not passed the exam, she answered "That's right", Yomiuri and TBS reported. Asahi and Yomiuri said she had not retaken it. [ 11 , 12 , 18 , 19 ]
Outlets differ on where she spoke. Asahi, Yomiuri and TBS said it was a Fox News programme, Nikkei said it was a conservative media video channel, Mainichi said it was a right-wing podcast released on 15 October and Sankei said it was an interview with conservative media. [ 7 , 8 , 12 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]
On her explanation, Mainichi and Sankei reported that she said the result was not so important because she knew a US law licence was not needed to work in China. Nikkei said she maintained she had never acted as if she were a qualified lawyer. Yomiuri said she claimed she had consulted experts about using the title of legal professional and saw no problem, citing her doctorate in law and practical experience. Sankei said she stressed she was not hired as White House legal counsel, and Yomiuri said she vowed to carry out the duties asked of her as Trump's press secretary. [ 7 , 8 , 12 , 19 ]
The Wall Street Journal reported on 14 October that she completed Pepperdine University law school in 2011, took the California bar exam and failed. According to the paper, as relayed by Tokyo Shimbun, Mainichi and Sankei, she then worked at a law firm in Beijing on international transactions, where a licence was reportedly not required. TBS and Jiji said she lived in China because of her husband's posting. Tokyo Shimbun said she appeared on Fox News in August and prefaced a comment with "speaking as a lawyer". [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
Trump announced her appointment on 9 October, replacing Leavitt, who left in August. In a social media post he described her as a lawyer who graduated from law school with honors, Mainichi reported, and Asahi said he used the word for an attorney. [ 2 , 7 , 8 , 18 ]
Zakaria held her first press conference on 13 October. Nippon TV said she took questions from three conservative outlets she had named before ending it after 14 minutes, and Jiji said she took questions from three reporters and ended after about 15 minutes. Asked by reporters in which state she passed the bar, she said "when I moved to China". Sankei said several US media outlets questioned her suitability after the briefing, and Mainichi said calls for a detailed investigation had been raised. [ 1 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
A Mainichi headline published at 03:10 on 17 October says the press secretary was dismissed, citing US reports, but no text was available and no other document in the set reports a dismissal. TBS earlier reported that she denied she would resign. [ 11 , 20 , 21 ]
Why it matters
Japanese outlets describe the matter as allegations of a falsified career for the person who has become the new face of the Trump administration. Mainichi reported that calls for a detailed investigation had been raised, and several US media outlets questioned her suitability for the post.
Key facts
- President Trump announced Katie Zakaria as press secretary on 9 October, replacing Leavitt, who left in August, and introduced her as a lawyer. [ 2 , 7 , 8 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reported on 14 October that Zakaria finished Pepperdine University law school in 2011, took the California bar exam and failed. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- Zakaria held her first press conference on 13 October, and when asked in which state she passed the bar she answered "when I moved to China". [ 2 , 4 , 8 ]
- On 15 October Zakaria acknowledged she had not passed a bar exam and said she had not retaken it. [ 12 , 18 , 19 ]
- She said a US law licence was not needed for her work in China and that she never acted as if she were a qualified lawyer. [ 7 , 8 , 12 ]
- TBS reported that she denied she would resign, saying she would do her utmost for the duties President Trump asked of her. [ 11 , 20 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Zakaria acknowledged on 15 October that she has not passed a bar exam. [ 11 , 12 , 18 , 19 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reported on 14 October that she failed the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine law school in 2011. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- Trump introduced Zakaria as a lawyer when announcing her appointment on 9 October. [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 12 ]
- Her first press conference on 13 October ended after about 14 to 15 minutes. [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Zakaria has been dismissed. Only a Mainichi Shimbun headline of 17 October says she was dismissed, citing US reports, and no article text was available. TBS reported on 16 to 17 October that she denied she would resign.
- Where she made the 15 October remarks. Asahi, Yomiuri and TBS say a Fox News programme, Nikkei says a conservative media video channel, Mainichi says a right-wing podcast and Sankei says a conservative media interview.
- Who the Wall Street Journal's information came from. TBS said the paper reported it citing a person familiar with the matter; the other outlets do not say.
- Whether she said she never called herself a lawyer. Only a Tokyo Shimbun headline says she said she did not call herself that, whereas Nikkei says she said she never acted as if she were a qualified lawyer and Yomiuri says she said she consulted experts about using the title 'legal professional'.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Nippon TV reported on 14 October that US media said there was no evidence she holds a law licence. [ 1 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun, citing Kyodo, reported on 15 October the Wall Street Journal's account of her failed bar exam. [ 2 ]
- TBS reported on 16 October that she acknowledged not holding a lawyer's licence and denied she would resign. [ 11 ]
- Nikkei reported on 16 October that she acknowledged on 15 October that she had not passed a US bar exam. [ 12 ]
- Yomiuri reported on 16 October that she said "That's right" when asked whether she had not passed the exam. [ 19 ]
- Mainichi published a headline on 17 October saying the press secretary had been dismissed, citing US reports. [ 21 ]