Katie Zakaria Defends Herself After White House Departure, Thanks Trump for Support

Washington, October 18 (Daily Kiran) : Katie Zakaria, who was removed from her position as White House press secretary less than a week ago, has denied allegations that she failed to support President Donald Trump or put him in a difficult position. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she expressed her gratitude to Trump for hosting her family in the Oval Office on her son’s birthday.

Responding to conservative commentator Wayne Root, Zakaria stated, “I have never put President Trump in a difficult position, nor would I ever. What has been said is completely false and fake news.” Root had suggested that her career ended when she blamed Trump for certain issues.

The controversy began shortly before her departure when she appeared on the “Fox and Friends” program. During the interview, she was asked whether she should have informed Trump that she had not passed the bar exam. Zakaria replied, “I was not asked those questions. I was appointed as the White House press secretary, not as the White House legal advisor.”

Just hours after the interview, she shared a photo on social media, thanking Trump for welcoming her and her family to the Oval Office and for giving gifts to her children on her son’s birthday.

According to NBC News, a senior official in the administration mentioned that Zakaria will transition to a new role within the administration, which will be announced later. As of now, no announcement has been made regarding her successor or an acting press secretary.

The White House has not issued an official statement on the matter. Fox News reporter John Roberts noted on October 16 that Zakaria was leaving her post, and Trump believed she was a good person who was initially deemed suitable for the role.

In her farewell message that evening, Zakaria described Trump as a “kind, wonderful, generous, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking person,” wishing that more Americans would appreciate him.

Trump appointed Zakaria as press secretary on October 9, succeeding Caroline Levitt, who left her position at the end of August. At that time, Trump remarked that it was a great honor to appoint Zakaria. Levitt also expressed her full support for Zakaria.

Despite her appointment, questions about her qualifications and professional background had arisen during her tenure. Newsmax journalist Alex Salvi reported on October 15 that Zakaria had decided to travel to China with her then-boyfriend before taking the bar exam. He also noted that she received a job offer from the international department of the Chinese law firm Zhong Lun.

In her defense, journalist Charles Gasparino argued that criticisms of her being called “doctor” were unwarranted, stating, “She is as much a doctorate holder as ‘Dr. Jill Biden,’ as she graduated from law school, earning her Juris Doctor degree.”