US President Donald Trump said he had advised Katie Zacharia to reconsider her position as White House press secretary before officials confirmed her departure. Trump said he had questioned whether the demanding role was worth the personal cost after Zacharia faced intense media scrutiny. “I said, ‘Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this,’" Trump told reporters on Friday, recalling his conversation with Zacharia. Her tenure ended abruptly, just days after she took up the position. Trump said he wanted Zacharia to prioritise her happiness and well-being rather than continue to face the pressure that came with the job. “I told her, I think you’re better off being happy," he said. “I want her to have a good life. I don’t want her to have a life like she’s led the last three days." White House officials confirmed on Friday that the administration was firing Zacharia less than a week after she assumed the role, according to Reuters. She took over as White House press secretary months after Karoline Leavitt left the position.

Trump Urged Zacharia to Rethink Her Decision

Trump said he had planned to speak with Zacharia before making a final decision. However, his comments suggested that he had serious doubts about whether she should continue in the role. “I told her honestly, ‘If I were you, I’d reconsider … think about it. But I would reconsider,’" he said. Trump also criticised the media coverage that Zacharia received during her brief tenure. He accused journalists of treating her unfairly and said the administration was considering how to respond. “I told Katie that in my opinion she was treated very very unfairly by the news. Let’s call it the fake news. We’re talking about doing something. I want her to have a good life. She’s being brutalized by the media", he said. The president also questioned whether anyone could remain happy while working under such intense pressure. “I’m not sure you could ever be happy in this job. There’s nothing easy about this job". When reporters asked whether Zacharia’s failure to disclose that she had not passed a bar examination had upset him, Trump said the position did not require her to work as a lawyer. “Well, I wasn’t hiring her to be a lawyer. I was hiring her to be a press secretary".

Katie Zacharia Faced Backlash After Press Briefing

Zacharia faced intense criticism after a press briefing that drew negative reactions from the media and observers. The controversy quickly put her under scrutiny and raised questions about her suitability for the position. Zacharia has often described herself as a lawyer. However, neither she nor the White House has provided evidence that she passed a bar examination in any US state or in China, where she previously worked for a major law firm. The questions surrounding her legal credentials added to the controversy during her short time in the role.

Zacharia Praises Trump After Leaving the White House

Following her departure, Zacharia publicly praised Trump and expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to work in his administration. In a post on X, she described the president as “kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking". Writing on X, she said, “President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him." Her comments came after a turbulent few days in the White House press office. Trump’s remarks indicated that he had encouraged her to reconsider the position because of the intense pressure and public criticism that came with it.