Just days into her new role, White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is “transitioning out” of her role after her rocky debut on Monday, according to Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie. NYT said she was "fired," as did CNN.
An unnamed White House official told Fox News’ Peter Doocy that Zacharia, just four days after holding her first and only White House press conference, will be leaving the position at an undetermined date in the future, Hasnie reported. Zacharia’s debut was widely scrutinized in both liberal and conservative circles.
Moments earlier, President Donald Trump shared that he had told Zacharia to “reconsider” the job, citing what he claimed to have been “nasty” press coverage of her performance. When asked what he wanted her to do instead of serve as his White House press secretary, Trump said, “I just want her to be happy.”
The shortest-serving White House press secretary in U.S. history was Jerald terHorst, who served under the Ford administration and resigned in 1974 after just 30 days in the position. Unless Zacharia remains White House press secretary for another 26 days, she will become the new record holder.
A senior White House official tells @pdoocy Katie ZACHARIA is “transitioning out” of the press secretary position.
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) October 16, 2026