Trump names conservative commentator Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary

Donald Trump has named Katie Zacharia, a conservative commentator and communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, as his next White House press secretary. The appointment makes her the sixth chief spokesperson across his two administrations. Zacharia replaces Karoline Leavitt, who departed the White House in August and has since taken a position at Fox News.

Zacharia, 42, is a lawyer educated at Pepperdine University who has spent most of her adult life in Republican politics. She interned for the Republican National Committee and worked in the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Bush administration in 2006. More recently, she has been a senior communications adviser at Trump's media company since June, and briefly held a role at the Department of Homeland Security from February to March of this year—a tenure she later attributed to the strain of traveling between California and Washington while raising four children.

On social media, Trump described Zacharia as "loyal" and "a devoted fan and member of MAGA," referencing his Make America Great Again movement. He noted her involvement in his campaigns, particularly in swing states where he won all seven contests. "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," he wrote on Truth Social. Zacharia responded by calling the role "the honor of a lifetime" and pledging to work with the press corps to communicate the administration's record.

Zacharia has become a familiar presence on conservative media outlets, appearing regularly on Newsmax and Fox News. She has also served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative nonprofit founded by Ric Grenell, now Trump's Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions. Her public commentary has consistently defended Trump's policies and decisions. When questioned about Trump hosting a televised UFC fight at the White House, she drew parallels between the sport's ethos and American constitutional principles. Earlier this year, she wrote an op-ed in the New York Post about being asked to remove her "Make America Great Again" hat at her local gym, declaring she would "never take my Trump hat off to appease the left."

Academics observing the appointment see it as emblematic of Trump's staffing approach in his second term. Justin Buchler, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve University, told the BBC that Trump's recent appointments have been "based on personal affiliation and loyalty." Buchler noted that Trump "values loyalty first and foremost." This pattern reflects a broader shift in how the White House communicates with the public. Yanna Krupnikov, a political scientist at the University of Michigan, suggested that Zacharia's selection signals a blurring of lines between traditional media and social platforms. "The goal is not as much speaking to the media and journalists, but making sure that particular, very specific sound-bytes and messages get to ordinary people," Krupnikov said.

The role of press secretary extends well beyond the briefing room podium. The position requires managing often contentious relationships with journalists, coordinating across White House departments, advising the president on media strategy, and overseeing an office that handles substantial daily inquiries and requests. Leavitt, Zacharia's predecessor, left the position saying she wanted to spend more time with her family. When she departed, Trump called her one of his "most trusted aides," setting an expectation that Zacharia will need to meet. Her appointment underscores how the administration intends to shape its public messaging through figures deeply embedded in conservative media ecosystems.