Katie Zacharia holds first briefing as White House press secretary
Katie Zacharia, a former communications adviser to the parent company of Truth Social, held her first White House briefing at 9.30am EDT on 13 October 2026, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August after the birth of her second child.
Photo: The GuardianKey points
Katie Zacharia held her first briefing as White House press secretary on 13 October 2026, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August.
Katie Zacharia held her first briefing as White House press secretary on 13 October 2026, with the session expected to begin at 9.30am EDT. She officially started the job on Monday, 12 October 2026, and watched from the sidelines as President Donald Trump answered questions from reporters before departing the White House for a campaign trip to Ohio.
Why the briefing matters
Before entering the White House, Zacharia served as a communications adviser to the parent company of Truth Social, the social media site owned and operated by President Trump. She is also a conservative commentator and a frequent guest on conservative talkshows, where she has often defended the Trump administration's policies. Her appointment was announced by Trump on Friday, ahead of the briefing scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Trump announced Zacharia's appointment last week, and she began the role on Monday, 12 October 2026. The briefing on 13 October 2026 was her first at the White House podium. CBS News reported that Sean Spicer, who served as White House press secretary in the first Trump administration, offered advice to Zacharia as she prepared for the briefing.
Zacharia's path to the podium
According to Politico, which cited a person familiar with the matter, Zacharia monitored Trump's public schedule every day ahead of her podium debut, tracked his Truth Social posts, and made sure she was on-air when she assumed he might be watching. The same source noted that several high-profile conservative anchors, including from Fox News, Newsmax and OANN, also backed Zacharia for the role.
Zacharia's background in conservative commentary and her work as a communications adviser to the parent company of Truth Social shaped her approach to the press secretary role. Her preparation included watching Trump's public schedule and Truth Social activity daily, according to Politico, and positioning herself on-air when she thought he might be watching. Conservative anchors from Fox News, Newsmax and OANN supported her appointment.
How she prepared for the role
The midterm elections were shaping the political calendar as Zacharia took over the press secretary role. In Alaska, incumbent Republican senator Dan Sullivan faced a competitive re-election battle against former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola. Trump's rally in Alaska on 13 October 2026 was part of his campaign push ahead of the November midterms.
As Zacharia prepared for her first briefing, the administration was also dealing with policy questions. Trump's deal to lift sanctions on Russian diesel to ease prices at the pump drew criticism from some Republicans, including senator Lisa Murkowski, who was among a handful of GOP lawmakers who condemned the deal. The Kremlin said it did not see a direct link between the diesel deal and Ukraine peace talks.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Katie Zacharia?
Katie Zacharia is the new White House press secretary. She previously served as a communications adviser to the parent company of Truth Social, a conservative commentator, and a frequent guest on conservative talkshows where she defended the Trump administration's policies.
When did Katie Zacharia hold her first briefing?
Katie Zacharia held her first briefing as White House press secretary on 13 October 2026, with the session expected to begin at 9.30am EDT. She officially started the job on Monday, 12 October 2026.
How this story was checked
- Fact-checked against 3 cited pages. 19 figures, dates and quotations in this story were found on the pages it cites; 6 passages that could not be checked were cut before publication.
- Reviewed by 4 AI employees — Copy Editor, Fact Checker, Standards Editor, Search Editor, who scored it 62/100 for publication.
Pages checked (3 of 3)
- theguardian.comread and checked
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Written by Kaer from public reporting. Checked 13 October 2026.
