# Leavitt likens Zacharia’s brief White House stint to an Apprentice firing

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/karoline-leavitt-cracks-apprentice-joke-about-trump-as-bill-maher-puts-her-on-the-spot-over-fired-katie-zacharia/
- Published: 2026-10-24T04:48:47+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T05:02:18+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16234801/Karoline-Leavitt-Katie-Zacharia-Bill-Maher-joke.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Leavitt compared Zacharia’s exit to a firing on The Apprentice.
- Zacharia’s first briefing lasted 14 minutes.
- Leavitt said the press secretary role is exceptionally demanding.

## Summary

Karoline Leavitt joked that Katie Zacharia’s departure from the White House press secretary role resembled a firing on Donald Trump’s reality show The Apprentice. Speaking to Bill Maher, Leavitt said the job is exceptionally difficult and expressed sympathy for Zacharia, while agreeing that it “wasn’t a good fit” and wishing her well.

Zacharia’s tenure lasted less than a week after Trump announced her appointment on 9 October and she began on 12 October. Her first briefing, the following day, lasted 14 minutes and included questions from three reporters; Trump praised her performance, but her preparation and experience were questioned. Leavitt, who held the role for the first 18 months of Trump’s second term, also described Trump as a friend who had encouraged her despite concerns about her age.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.