White House defends new press secretary amid questions about her legal credentials
The White House is defending its new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, amid questions about her legal credentials after she and President Trump referred to her as an attorney. Zacharia reportedly failed the California bar exam and does not appear to be registered with any state bar, leading a watchdog group to file a complaint.
Why it matters
This incident raises questions about transparency and qualifications for high-profile government positions, potentially impacting public trust in the White House press secretary and the administration.
Image source, Getty Images By Sareen Habeshian Published 27 minutes ago The White House is defending its new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, as she faces scrutiny over her legal credentials.
President Donald Trump described Zacharia as an attorney when announcing her appointment last week and she has referred to herself as a lawyer.
But when she was asked on Tuesday by a reporter in which state she had passed the bar exam required to be an attorney in the US, she said standing alongside the president: "When I moved to China."
She does not appear to be registered to the bar in any state where she has lived. White House communications director Steven Cheung said Zacharia is "uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people".
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