Katie Zacharia had the shortest tenure as press secretary in history. Here are the others who didn't last long.
Katie Zacharia served as White House press secretary for only five days, marking the shortest tenure in history. Her departure followed intense scrutiny regarding her legal credentials and missteps during briefings.
Why it matters
The rapid turnover highlights the high-pressure nature of the role and the importance of vetting for high-level political appointments.
Katie Zacharia came under scrutiny for her legal credentials shortly after her first press briefing on Tuesday. Win McNamee/Getty Images President Donald Trump chose Katie Zacharia to serve as the new White House press secretary. After five days, a White House official said that she is "transitioning out" of the role. Zacharia is among three other former press secretaries with tenures lasting under two months. Katie Zacharia's first briefing as President Donald Trump's press secretary was on Tuesday. By Friday, the White House confirmed she was out. The record five-day tenure came after days of missteps by Zacharia, and amid two watchdog groups filing complaints with the State Bar of California on Wednesday, asking it to investigate whether she violated California law by calling herself a lawyer. While the longest-serving press secretary was Stephen Early, who held the post for 12 years under Franklin D.
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