President Trump is standing behind his new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, as questions swirl regarding her legal credentials and her first official appearance at the podium. During a morning exchange on Tuesday, a reporter asked the president which state Zacharia passed the bar exam in, CNN reports. Trump turned to his press secretary, and when he asked her, “Which state?”, she responded that she had moved to China. This interaction follows a debut briefing that left many within the administration feeling uneasy. Zacharia stood at the podium for only about 15 minutes, dedicating the majority of that time to an opening statement focused on the accomplishments of the president. Notably, she announced Kimberley Guilfoyle’s resignation. She took questions from only three reporters before concluding the session. By comparison, briefings under former press secretary Karoline Leavitt often lasted closer to 45 minutes, with Leavitt frequently engaging with a wider variety of press members, including those in the aisles. The performance drew sharp critiques from several advisers and officials One adviser characterized the briefing as “brutal,” while others described the event as awkward, stilted, and uncomfortable. Some officials expressed genuine confusion regarding the timing of her introduction to the press corps. One official stated, “Why did they put her out there so quickly?” and added, “Literally zero reason to put her out on her second day, unprepared.” Another adviser suggested, “She should have been doing murder boards for two weeks before going up there.” "She sounded very uncertain of the few facts she was putting across…"How long will Katie Zacharia last as White House Press Secretary? pic.twitter.com/z1VkmllmjH— LBC (@LBC) October 13, 2026 Despite the negative reception from staff, the president offered a different perspective. Shortly after the session, Trump told reporters, “I thought she was very good.” Communications director Steven Cheung also defended the hire, noting in a statement that “Katie is a fabulous and wonderful addition to the team.” Sources indicate that Trump had grown fond of Zacharia during her appearances on Fox News before deciding to bring her on board. One adviser mentioned that while she was not great during her first outing, the president would likely give her the benefit of the doubt as she settles into the role. The scrutiny regarding her background as an attorney remains a point of interest. Although Trump referred to her as “an attorney” when announcing her appointment, records indicate a lack of clarity regarding her bar status. A spokesperson for the California State Bar stated, “The State Bar of California has no record of Kate Sharon Zacharia or Kate Sharon Black having been licensed to practice law in California.” The spokesperson noted that they can only confirm if someone passed the exam, not if they took it. In response to inquiries, a White House official explained that after graduating from the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Zacharia moved to China for her husband’s job at a private equity firm. The official stated she worked on international transaction law during that time. Her professional history includes a stint as an associate on the international practice team at Zhong Lun Law in Beijing from August 2011 to June 2013. She also served as general counsel to the nonprofit Fix California and held a position as a senior communications adviser for the Trump Media and Technology Group. The official did not provide a response when asked if she had passed the bar exam.