Katie Zacharia fired as White House press secretary after five days

Katie Zacharia was fired as White House press secretary on Friday, 16 October, only five days after taking up the post. The press secretary is the official who speaks for the White House in dealings with journalists. A White House official who is not authorized to speak publicly confirmed the dismissal.

A difficult start

Zacharia's time in the job began badly. Her first briefing, held on Tuesday, was widely criticised. Questions also arose about her legal credentials after she admitted that she had not passed the bar exam, the qualifying test for lawyers.

Reports from other outlets

The New York Times also reported that she had been fired. Fox News described it differently, saying she was “transitioning out” of the role. The Guardian has asked the White House for comment.

Background and appointment

Zacharia spent much of her career as a conservative political commentator and in communications roles. She was offered the press secretary job on 9 October. In an interview with the Guardian on Thursday, she described how quickly she moved into the new position.

The story is developing and more details are expected.