Trump names Katie Zacharia as next White House press secretary

US President Donald Trump announced on 9 October 2026 that Katie Zacharia will be the next White House press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt. Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social network, calling Zacharia a "loyal and brilliant supporter" and a member of the Make America Great Again movement. The appointment fills one of the most visible roles in the White House.straitstimes.com+1

The press secretary is responsible for briefing journalists, fielding questions about administration policies, and serving as the chief public defender of the president. Zacharia's appointment matters because it places a longtime Trump loyalist in a role that shapes how the administration communicates with the press corps. The choice signals Trump's preference for a spokesperson who has worked across his campaigns, his media company, and a federal agency.washingtonexaminer.com

What the appointment changes

Zacharia is a 42-year-old native of California who had been serving as senior communications adviser to Truth Social, the social media platform operated by Trump Media and Technology Group. Trump described her work at his company as "outstanding." She is also a lawyer and a frequent commentator on conservative television networks including Fox News and Newsmax.

Before joining Trump Media, Zacharia worked at the Department of Homeland Security. She joined the department under then-Secretary Kristi Noem earlier in 2026 but left after around two months, according to her LinkedIn profile. The Washington Examiner reported she worked for several weeks as deputy spokeswoman for the 270,000-person federal department before leaving around the time Noem and special government employee Corey Lewandowski departed.

Zacharia's departure from the Department of Homeland Security caught current and former officials who had worked with her off guard, according to the Washington Examiner. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the department. A graduate of Pepperdine University's law school, she began her career in Republican politics as an intern for the Republican National Committee in 2006, CNN reported.

Zacharia's record and background

Zacharia has also worked with Fix California, a conservative advocacy group founded by Richard Grenell, a longtime Trump ally and one of his special presidential envoys. According to CNBC, she serves as general counsel for the organisation, which seeks to advance conservative political causes in the Democratic-leaning state. Trump sought advice from several allies, including Leavitt, before offering Zacharia the position, according to CNN.

Zacharia thanked Trump in a post on X, saying his "leadership is a blessing to this country." She said the work ahead is to continue delivering strong results and communicating the administration's major wins to the American people. She also said she looks forward to working with the White House press corps and reporters across the country, and called her predecessor Leavitt "fabulous" with a "high standard" to meet.

Leavitt's departure and next steps

Leavitt took a combative approach to questions from the White House press corps. In January, she called a White House reporter a "left-wing hack" after a question about the fatal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting of American citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. Fox News announced earlier in the week that Leavitt would join the network as an on-air contributor beginning 1 November.

What comes next

Zacharia's tenure begins as Trump faces low approval ratings due to high energy prices amid the Iran war and the looming midterms on 3 November, where the opposition Democrats are expected to make major congressional gains. The next dated event on the calendar is the midterm elections on 3 November, followed by Leavitt's Fox News debut on 1 November.