Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was fired on Friday after less than a week in the job, following a turbulent start marked by questions over her legal credentials and criticism of her early media appearances.
Zacharia was “let go” and is “transitioning out” of the position, two White House officials confirmed to Reuters. Her abrupt departure leaves President Donald Trump without a key spokesperson just over two weeks before the November midterm elections, when he is seeking to highlight his administration’s achievements and help Republicans retain control of Congress.
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Trump had indicated earlier on Friday that he had urged Zacharia to reconsider staying in the role after she faced intense scrutiny from the media during her first few days.
“I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.’ There’s nothing easy about this stuff,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a weekend trip.
He added: “I said to her honestly, ‘If I were you, I’d reconsider… think about it. But I would reconsider.’” Trump said he planned to revisit the conversation with Zacharia later.
LEGAL CREDENTIALS UNDER SCRUTINY
Zacharia began her tenure on Monday and held her first White House press briefing the following day. She said she had received a call about the position on October 7 and was offered the job to replace Karoline Leavitt a week ago.
Questions about her professional background soon emerged, particularly her claim to have practised law. Trump had also referred to her as an attorney.
“I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” Zacharia told Reuters in an emailed statement on Wednesday.
However, Reuters could not find records showing that the Pepperdine University law school graduate was registered as an attorney or admitted to the bar in any US state or the District of Columbia.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Zacharia acknowledged that she had not passed the bar examination. Law school graduates in the United States must be admitted to a state bar to practise law legally.
Earlier on Friday, Zacharia had told reporters at the White House that she was looking forward to working with the press.
TRUMP WANTED A STRONGER PUBLIC VOICE
Trump brought Zacharia into the role amid concerns about how his administration was being covered by the media. Two people familiar with the discussions said the president wanted a new spokesperson who could more effectively promote his administration’s accomplishments.
Speaking to Fox News by phone on Friday, Trump said he was in no hurry to appoint a successor.
Zacharia’s departure after only a few days is believed to mark the shortest tenure of any White House press secretary in history.
Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for 10 days during Trump’s first administration, reacted to the news on X.
“Records are made to be broken,” Scaramucci wrote. “But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”
– Ends
With inputs from Reuters
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
