What does a White House press secretary do?
The role of the White House press secretary is examined following the brief tenure and firing of Katie Zacharia. The article highlights the lack of formal requirements for the position and the intense pressure to balance presidential representation with public accountability.
Why it matters
The position is a vital link between the executive branch and the public, and its instability can impact the administration's communication strategy.
The White House press secretary is one of the most important public-facing jobs in any administration. Yet it is one with no job description, no required qualifications, no vetting by Congress. And as the most recent press secretary found out, you can be fired from the position just as quickly as you were hired.
For nearly 100 years, since the rise of a modern press corp, there has been a person designated to speak on behalf of the sitting U.S. president. But the press secretary also answers to the public, says former Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby. He served during both the Obama and Biden administrations.
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