White House press secretary Katie Zacharia acknowledges failing bar exam

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia acknowledged during a Thursday evening television appearance that she did not pass the bar exam. Speaking on Fox News, Zacharia admitted that she was underprepared for her initial briefing and said she should have stepped aside instead of answering questions from reporters. The Daily Mail and The Guardian reported that Zacharia defended her overall efforts during the television interview. [1][6][9][10][11]

The admission follows mounting public scrutiny regarding her legal background and previous assertions that she was a licensed attorney. The South China Morning Post and ABC News both reported that Zacharia acknowledged she never passed the exam. In a separate interview with Forbes, Zacharia described her bar exam results as inconsequential and noted that she did not retake the test. [4][5][9][11]

Zacharia is also facing international criticism after claiming in an interview that China lacked proper toilets. The Straits Times and the South China Morning Post reported the comments, with the South China Morning Post adding that Chinese officials subsequently invited Zacharia to visit the country more often. [2][3]

Zacharia was appointed to the role in October 2026. As FTMQ News reported earlier, a public accountability organization previously submitted a formal complaint to the State Bar of California regarding her credentials, following her initial press briefing that lasted less than 15 minutes. [12][17][18]

Zacharia said on Fox News that she retains the confidence of the president. Questions continue to surrounding the press secretary's future as White House officials manage the political fallouts. [6][7]