What the White House Press Secretary Does—and Why the Job Is So Demanding
A role built on public trust
For nearly a century, presidents have designated someone to speak on their behalf. The position is not set by Congress and has no required qualifications, but it has become a prominent public-facing job in the administration.
Former Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby, who served under Barack Obama and Joe Biden, said the press secretary needs access to the president and an understanding of the president’s thinking. The job also carries responsibility to the public. Kirby told NPR’s Ayesha Roscoe that the press secretary should be honest and give Americans information as quickly and fully as possible, while taking difficult questions from reporters.
Zacharia’s short tenure
Katie Zacharia was fired last week, five days after starting the job. During her first briefing, held two days into her tenure, she appeared nervous, took only a few questions and relied largely on prepared talking points.
Her description of herself as a lawyer drew further scrutiny. It later emerged that she had failed the California bar exam and was not an attorney. Press secretaries are not required to be lawyers, but they must be able to handle questioning from the press.
A custom with a long history
The White House Historical Association traces regular reporting from the White House to the late 1800s. In 1929, President Herbert Hoover appointed journalist George Akerson to speak for him; Akerson is considered the first official White House press secretary.
Since then, 37 people have held the position. Dee Dee Myers became the first woman in 1993, and Karine Jean-Pierre became the first Black person and first openly gay person to serve in the role in 2022.
Briefings under pressure
Some press secretaries have faced tense exchanges with reporters. Sean Spicer, who served during Donald Trump’s first administration, frequently sparred with the media. After being challenged about inauguration crowd sizes, he said, “sometimes we can disagree with the facts.”
In 1981, James Brady was shot during an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan while traveling with him. The White House briefing room, where press secretaries take questions, is named for Brady.
Key points
- The press secretary speaks for the president while also answering to the public.
- The role has no congressional appointment, formal job description or required qualifications.
- Katie Zacharia left the job five days after starting it.
- The briefing room is named after James Brady, who was shot during the 1981 assassination attempt.