Katie Zacharia’s First Briefing as Press Secretary

Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, made her debut appearance before reporters on Tuesday. Known for her conservative commentary and previous work at President Donald Trump’s social media company, Zacharia stepped into the role following Karoline Leavitt, who departed for a position with Fox News.

During the briefing, which lasted only 14 minutes, Zacharia fielded questions from three media outlets. She directed reporters to the South Lawn for further questions as President Trump was leaving for a campaign trip. “In fact, I am going to end it because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska, and we can ask him all of the questions out there,” she stated.

In her opening statement, Zacharia discussed Trump’s recent campaigns and policies on energy, tariffs, and immigration. With a law degree from Pepperdine University, she has previously served briefly as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. Zacharia emphasized her continuity with Trump’s agenda by stating, “I get to do what I was doing on the outside already, which was hoping to amplify, multiply and expand upon President Trump’s incredible agenda for the American people.”

Her first question came from Breitbart News, which has grown influential during Trump’s presidency. Zacharia committed to maintaining the existing “new media” rotation to diversify media participation in White House events.

While taking questions, Zacharia announced a significant development. She confirmed that President Trump had asked for Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation as the U.S. ambassador to Greece. This followed allegations of inappropriate conduct during her time in Athens. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish her well,” Zacharia remarked.