Trump says Katie Zacharia "will do a fantastic job" as White House press secretary

President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that Katie Zacharia would serve as White House press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August to spend more time with family after her second child’s birth. Zacharia began Monday and held her first briefing Tuesday, Oct. 13. She thanked Trump for his trust and said she had long wanted to work for him, while calling her family her priority and noting they would move from California to Washington. She said she would promote Trump’s agenda and widen access for outlets beyond the traditional press. The briefing lasted under 15 minutes, with three reporters called on before she ended it and referred further questions to Trump. White House communications director Steven Cheung praised her qualifications. Leavitt is set to join Fox News Media as an on-air contributor on Nov. 1.