New White House press secretary faces questions over legal credentials

Washington, United States. Katie Zacharia, the new press secretary for the White House, faced scrutiny on Wednesday over her legal background after Reuters found no records of her registration as an attorney or bar membership in any US state or Washington, DC.

Questions over legal experience

Zacharia, who started at the White House on Monday, has said she worked as a lawyer before moving into politics. US President Donald Trump has also called her an attorney.

Responding by email on Wednesday, Zacharia said: “I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,”

Her LinkedIn profile lists an associate position with Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing between 2011 and 2013. It also identifies her as general counsel from 2024 to 2025 at Fix California, an advocacy organisation established by Trump ally Ric Grenell.

Grenell said by text message that Zacharia had served as a senior adviser with varied responsibilities, including overseeing the external counsel who acted as the organisation’s lawyers.

Requests for comment sent to Zhong Lun by email went unanswered. The White House provided no response to questions concerning Zacharia’s credentials or legal experience.

Appointment ahead of midterms

The scrutiny comes as Zacharia begins handling press briefings with only three weeks remaining before November’s midterm elections. The period is critical for Trump as he promotes his administration’s record and seeks to help fellow Republicans keep control of Congress.

Two people familiar with the discussions said Trump recruited Zacharia after voicing dissatisfaction with coverage of his administration. They said he believed a different spokesperson was needed to give greater prominence to his achievements.

Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt, whose departure from the White House came in August. One official said the decision to appoint Zacharia so near the midterms surprised some White House staff.