President Trump said Friday he had urged White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia to reconsider her position and would leave the decision to her, as some mainstream media outlets reported that she had been fired.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said he had told Zacharia, “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider.” He said they would speak again after he returned from Georgia, where he was scheduled to attend a rally, and questioned whether she needed to remain in the demanding role. Trump also said she had been treated unfairly by the media.
CNN reported, citing advisers to the president, that Trump had fired Zacharia. The New York Times separately reported, citing three people familiar with the matter, that she had been dismissed after less than a week on the job.
Fox News reporter Peter Doocy said he spoke with President Trump aboard Air Force One while en route to Georgia. Trump told him he was in no rush to name a replacement. The remark appeared to support reports that Zacharia had been dismissed.
The reports followed a series of interviews Zacharia gave Thursday, including appearances on Human Events Daily and Fox News’ “Hannity,” as she attempted to address criticism of her first press briefing and questions about her legal credentials. During the interviews, she acknowledged that she had not passed the California bar exam and defended her use of the term “lawyer.”
