Trump's new press secretary confirms she didn't pass the bar exam
Trump's new press secretary, Zacharia, has confirmed she did not pass the bar exam despite previously presenting herself as a lawyer. She attributed the situation to personal circumstances during her time in China and characterized the controversy as a misunderstanding.
Why it matters
The story raises questions about the vetting process for high-level political appointments and the importance of professional credentials in public office.
Zacharia had repeatedly presented herself as a lawyer during media appearances, and US President Donald Trump described her as "an attorney" when announcing her appointment last week. However, journalists found no record of her being licensed to practice law in any US state, spurring questions about how she had represented herself. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter, that Zacharia sat the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011 but did not pass. Obtaining a law degree does not automatically qualify someone to practice law. California's state bar confirmed to US media that it had no record of Zacharia holding a license under either her married or maiden name.
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