Katie Zacharia releases first statement since White House firing after disastrous first week

Katie Zacharia has issued her first public statement since leaving her role as Donald Trump’s press secretary less than five days after taking the job. She praised Trump on Instagram and said it had been an honour to work for him; her departure matters because it followed a brief, troubled start in a high-profile White House position.

Trump said he had suggested Zacharia reconsider the job, while a White House official said she was “transitioning out” on Friday. Her first briefing lasted 14 minutes and took questions from three reporters, and she faced scrutiny over describing herself as a lawyer; in an interview, she acknowledged failing the California bar exam in 2011. Before the White House, she worked in communications for Trump Media and briefly at the Department of Homeland Security.