Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, gave her first news briefing on Oct. 13 after starting her position in President Donald Trump’s second administration on Monday.
“I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House press secretary,” Zacharia said at the start of Tuesday’s news briefing. “I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me.”
Zacharia told reporters that she has wanted to work for Trump for “a very long time.” She added that she was looking forward to working with the media at the White House in the middle of what she described as the “midterm blitz.”
Trump offered Zacharia the role of press secretary after former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stepped down in August to spend more time with her family following the birth of her second child.
During Tuesday’s press briefing, Zacharia said she would continue amplifying Trump’s agenda outside the administration, but in a more official capacity as press secretary. She said she hopes to “only build on, only amplify, and only multiply to the extent possible all of the wins he’s making for Americans.”
“My goal is to be able to communicate that in complete tandem with the president, as he is his own best spokesperson, and will absolutely be leading the way,” she added.
Asked how she would balance her family and her role as press secretary, given Leavitt’s recent decision to step down from the position to spend time with her own family, Zacharia said her family is her priority.
Zacharia and her husband, Tyler Zacharia, have four children: three boys and one girl. The new White House press secretary confirmed that her family will be moving from their current home in California to Washington.
“I love being with my kids. The idea of not spending evenings with my kids is completely unacceptable,” she said.
Katie Zacharia said Leavitt gave her feedback on how to balance the demands of the press secretary position and that she intends to include her family in her work.
“Though my work will be demanding, they will always be a priority,” she said. “President Trump is the most family-friendly president we’ve ever had.”
The new White House press secretary told reporters Tuesday that she plans to “expand on” her predecessor’s decision to allow nontraditional media to ask questions during White House press briefings.
“We love new media, and we want to be able to embrace it,” she said.
Zacharia’s first White House press briefing lasted less than 15 minutes. After delivering her opening remarks, she called on only three reporters for questions before announcing she was ending the briefing.
She directed reporters to ask Trump additional questions as he boarded Marine One for a campaign trip to Alaska.
Trump announced in a Sunday evening post on Truth Social that Zacharia’s first day as White House press secretary would be Monday, with an introductory news conference on Tuesday.
“Katie has been with me, in spirit, from the very beginning, and will do a fantastic job!” Trump wrote.
After reports circulated last week that Zacharia was offered the job, she released a social media statement on Oct. 9, describing the opportunity as a “distinguished privilege.”
“Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime,” she wrote.
“I look forward to working with the White House press corps, and with reporters across the country, to get that record out. Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting.”
Before taking the press secretary job, Zacharia worked as a top communications adviser for Trump Media, which owns the president’s Truth Social platform. She also worked for a couple of months at the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year.
Zacharia previously worked as a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax and as general counsel for conservative activist group Fix California. She also previously interned for the Republican National Committee and worked for the White House Office of Political Affairs during President George W. Bush’s second term.
Leavitt’s departure was announced by Trump in a social media post on Aug. 12. At the time, Trump described Leavitt as a “real leader in the White House” and said she would continue to serve as an “outside advisor.”
On Oct. 5, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott announced that Leavitt would join Fox News Media as an on-air contributor beginning Nov. 1.
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