US President Donald Trump has named conservative commentator and attorney Katie Zacharia as the new White House press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who left the position in August 2026. Zacharia brings experience in political communications, conservative media and government public affairs to the high-profile role.
The appointment places Zacharia at the centre of the Trump administration's communications strategy, including daily press briefings and interactions with White House correspondents and journalists.
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Trump praised Zacharia's support for his administration and expressed confidence in her ability to communicate its policies and positions to the American public. Zacharia thanked the president for the appointment and said she looked forward to working with reporters and members of the White House press corps.
Who Is Katie Zacharia?
Zacharia has worked as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the social media platform Truth Social. Her role involved communications work within an organisation closely associated with Trump.
Earlier in 2026, she served as a spokesperson and public affairs official at the Department of Homeland Security under former secretary Kristi Noem. The position gave her experience communicating government policies and responding to public and media inquiries.
Zacharia has also appeared as a political commentator on conservative television networks, including Fox News and Newsmax, where she has discussed and defended Trump's policies.
Her involvement in Republican politics dates back to 2006, when she interned with the Republican National Committee during George W. Bush's presidency. She later participated in Trump's 2024 election campaign, as per media reports.
In addition to her government and media experience, Zacharia has worked as a legal and communications adviser for Fix California, a conservative political organisation founded by Ric Grenell.
Zacharia studied political science and government at Pepperdine University in California before earning her Juris Doctor degree from the university's Caruso School of Law.
She is married to Tyler Zacharia, a film producer associated with Angel Studios. The couple have four children, according to published reports.
As White House press secretary, Zacharia will serve as a key public-facing representative of the administration, explaining presidential decisions, communicating policy announcements and responding to questions from journalists.
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Her background in conservative media, political advocacy, legal work and government communications could shape her approach to the position. She takes over from Leavitt at a time when the White House press secretary's role remains central to the administration's engagement with the media and the public.
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