Katie Zacharia did not pass the bar exam, senior administration official says - NBC News
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has faced scrutiny after reports confirmed she did not pass the California bar exam. While she has identified herself as a lawyer, legal experts note that the title typically requires licensure, which she lacks.
Why it matters
The controversy highlights questions regarding the professional credentials of high-level political appointees and the transparency of the current administration.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia did not pass the California bar exam when she took it after she graduated from law school, according to a senior administration official. The official argued that Zacharia could technically be considered a “lawyer,” though not an attorney. President Donald Trump referred to Zacharia as an “attorney” in his Truth Social post last week announcing he was tapping her as press secretary. But several lawyers told NBC News that “lawyer” is widely understood to refer to someone who has passed the bar exam and is licensed to practice law. Zacharia’s failure to pass the bar exam was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Zacharia, who has repeatedly referred to herself as a lawyer, faces questions about her legal credentials as the White House has not said whether she passed the bar exam.
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