I’m sipping my coffee and reading about Katie Zacharia’s first week as the new White House press secretary, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. Zacharia has been on the defensive, including in interviews with President Donald Trump’s allies, most notably on Thursday night when the president’s longtime friend Sean Hannity repeatedly challenged her on Fox. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Hannity grilling, right? It’s like a train wreck that you can’t look away from.
Apparently, Zacharia’s all-too-brief debut press briefing was “widely panned,” and she admitted to having “very little prep time” since Trump offered her the job during their first in-person meeting about it. I can just imagine the conversation: “Hey, Katie, want to be the new press secretary?” “Uh, sure… I guess?” It’s like they say, “fake it till you make it,” but in this case, it’s more like “fake it till you get fired.”
Hannity sounded like he was belatedly vetting Zacharia for the job — unintentionally highlighting Trump’s lack of vetting. I mean, come on, Trump, you can’t just hire someone without doing a background check, right? It’s not like hiring a babysitter for your kid; it’s the White House press secretary we’re talking about here. Zacharia even failed the bar exam, which she acknowledged to Hannity on Thursday night. Oops.
CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski has shown how Zacharia repeatedly amplified stories and posts identifying her as an attorney in recent years. The issue ultimately comes down to credibility, an essential attribute for any press secretary. I mean, if you can’t even be honest about your own credentials, how can we trust you to tell the truth about the administration’s actions?
Some White House officials have anonymously questioned how long Zacharia will remain in the role, and many Trump detractors have drawn parallels to Anthony Scaramucci’s infamous 11-day stint as White House communications director in 2017. Scaramucci himself said, “The clock is running,” but predicted Zacharia will last longer than he did. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult, but I’m sure Zacharia will take it either way.
Scaramucci also said that Zacharia “clearly can’t handle the podium, but she doesn’t seem like a bad person.” I guess that’s a backhanded compliment? He also thinks Trump is focused on “bigger things and bigger personnel problems” and might remove chief of staff Susie Wiles and defense secretary Pete Hegseth “right after the midterms.” It’s like a game of musical chairs, but instead of chairs, it’s high-level government positions.
Conservative commentators are not holding back their criticism, with podcaster Meghan McCain saying that Zacharia shouldn’t be anywhere near a briefing room. I mean, ouch, that’s harsh. But hey, at least Zacharia is getting some practice in, right? She’s been doing the rounds on Fox, trying to defend her credentials and credibility. It’s like she’s trying to convince us that she’s actually qualified for the job.
Zacharia’s predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, held one press briefing a week on average, which is a lot more than Zacharia has done so far. Leavitt stepped down in August, shortly after returning from maternity leave, and Fox News recently hired her as an on-air contributor. I guess that’s one way to get out of the White House and into a more relaxed gig.
The president cited Zacharia’s “unblemished record of support” for his presidency and her regular TV appearances when he announced her as the new press secretary. I mean, who needs experience or qualifications when you’ve got TV credentials, right? Zacharia was a popular MAGA defender on cable, including on CNN, while living in California with her family. It’s like she was born for this role.
However, representing the US from the White House podium requires a different skill set. In Thursday interviews, Zacharia rather candidly said she might not have been ready for her briefing room debut. Yeah, no kidding. It’s like she’s trying to tell us that she’s not really cut out for this job.
Talking with Jack Posobiec, the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theorist who now hosts on the pro-Trump streaming channel Real America’s Voice, Zacharia said she “never had a full briefing beforehand.” I mean, what’s a little thing like preparation when you’re trying to defend the administration’s actions? It’s not like it’s a hard job or anything.
It was a whirlwind hiring process, Zacharia said, starting with an unexpected call from the president on Wednesday, October 7. I guess that’s one way to get hired — just wait for the president to call you out of the blue and offer you the job. It’s like winning the lottery, but instead of money, you get a high-stress job with a lot of scrutiny.
Zacharia read pro-Trump talking points, then called on three reporters — one asked about Kimberly Guilfoyle, then the embattled US ambassador to Greece, which led Zacharia to announce that the president had asked Guilfoyle to resign. I mean, who doesn’t love a good surprise resignation? It’s like a plot twist in a soap opera.
As the TV segment’s outro music began to play, indicating Zacharia was out of time, she tried to reassure Hannity: “I will be very prepared, Sean, and I will step up to the duty President Trump has asked me to as press secretary.” Yeah, sure, Katie, we’ll believe it when we see it.
Later in the evening, Trump indicated he had watched the broadcast because he posted on Truth Social praising one of Hannity’s other guests. I guess that’s one way to show your support — just tweet about it and hope nobody notices the train wreck that is your press secretary.
On Friday morning, “Fox & Friends” co-host (and Hannity’s fiancée) Ainsley Earhardt referenced the previous interview and expressed sympathy for Zacharia. “You were just thrown into this role,” she remarked. Yeah, poor Katie, she’s just a victim of circumstance.
When Earhardt asked when the next press briefing would be, Zacharia didn’t say. Then Jones asked: “Do you think you still have the confidence of the president?” Zacharia responded, “I’m standing here,” referring to the fact that she was live from the White House North Lawn. I mean, that’s a pretty weak answer, but I guess it’s better than nothing.
When the interview ended, Zacharia said hello to a crowd of reporters gathered outside, but declined to answer any questions. I mean, what’s the point of being a press secretary if you’re not going to answer questions? It’s like being a teacher who doesn’t teach — what’s the point?
Matthews told CNN that Zacharia should have waited to hold her first briefing “until she felt adequately prepared.” Yeah, no kidding. I mean, it’s not like the press secretary role is a hard job or anything. You just have to be prepared, credible, and able to handle tough questions. Easy peasy, right?
In conclusion, Katie Zacharia’s first week as White House press secretary has been a disaster, and it’s not looking good for her future in the role. I mean, who needs experience, qualifications, or credibility when you’ve got a president who’s willing to hire you despite all that? It’s like the old saying goes: “fake it till you make it” — or in this case, “fake it till you get fired.” 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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