No one asked about passing the bar, and Katie Zacharia seems to throw Trump under the bus
Bar exam questions surface
Zacharia said the administration had not asked about her legal credentials. The issue arose after reports that she had never passed the bar exam, despite having described herself as an attorney.
President Trump had called her an “attorney” in a Truth Social post announcing her appointment. During the Fox News interview, Zacharia told Lawrence Jones that she was hired as press secretary, not White House counsel.
A tense Fox News interview
Jones asked whether she regretted not telling Trump she had not passed the bar. Zacharia replied that the questions had not been asked, a response that appeared to direct responsibility toward Trump and his advisers.
The interview also included a question about whether the president still had confidence in her after her first week. Zacharia initially answered, “When I moved to China,” then said she had misheard and thought she was being asked where she was after law school.
Criticism and vetting concerns
Republican strategist Melik Abdul said Zacharia would need a much stronger and more convincing performance in her second year, or she could be fired. He also said she deserved that consequence for compromising Trump.
Breitbart reporter John Binder said Zacharia’s remarks appeared to support a Daily Mail report that she had not been fully vetted. The account also noted that Sean Hannity, described as close to Trump, questioned her sharply on Thursday.
Key points
- Zacharia said no one in the administration asked about her legal credentials.
- She said she misunderstood a question about whether Trump still had confidence in her.
- A Republican strategist and a Breitbart reporter raised concerns about her performance and vetting.