President Donald Trump has reportedly settled on a new White House press secretary, bringing in a familiar face from conservative television to replace Karoline Leavitt just weeks before the midterm elections.
Trump has selected Katie Zacharia, a former Department of Homeland Security spokesperson and frequent Fox News guest, according to The New York Times. A White House official told CBS News that Zacharia has been offered the role, though it was not immediately clear whether she has accepted.
Zacharia currently works as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of the president’s Truth Social platform. She previously served as a spokesperson for former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired in March.
Zacharia was hired at DHS in February as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs, just days after writing an op-ed for the California Post, the New York Post’s West Coast edition, accusing her kickboxing gym of siding with “liberal bullies” over her MAGA hat. Zacharia wrote that her “Team Trump 2024” hat “triggered an unhinged meltdown” after one woman confronted her during a class and two others emailed complaints. She left the department in March.
This selection comes after Leavitt departed the White House in August to spend more time with her family. She has since landed a contributor role at Fox News, set to begin Nov. 1.
Reacting to the news Friday, CNN media analyst Brian Stelter pointed to Zacharia’s extensive appearances defending Trump on conservative TV.
“Now, Katie Zacharia is the closest you can get to a Fox News contributor without actually being on the payroll of Fox,” Stelter said.
He noted that Zacharia had appeared regularly on Fox News and other right-wing platforms, giving Trump plenty of opportunities to become familiar with her.
CNN also shed light on how Trump reached his decision. The network reported Friday that the president sought input from several White House insiders by polling allies and advisers on the new selection, including his former press secretary.
“Leavitt was a happy warrior, and it makes sense that the president was reaching out to Leavitt and others, getting counsel as he decided who to replace Leavitt with,” Stelter concluded.
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