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Karoline Leavitt makes brutal comment on successor Katie Zacharia's 5 day stint as White House press secretary
Karoline Leavitt has made a savage comment about successor Katie Zacharia's five-day stint as White House press secretary.
Zacharia, 42, took over from Leavitt, 29, on October 12, but was out of the job by October 16 following a shaky debut press briefing that lasted less than 15 minutes.
She opened the briefing by telling reporters she was "so honored" to be working for President Trump and noted that she’d "wanted to work for him for a very long time".
However, things took an awkward turn when she struggled to field questions from reporters, even at one point confusing her husband with Trump.
The embarrassing mix-up came when she was asked how she planned to balance her new duties in Washington, D.C., while her husband and children stayed at home in California.
"This idea of not spending evenings with my kids is completely unacceptable, so my president... uh excuse me, my husband is out here," she said. However, she seemed to recover quickly enough and even make light of the moment, quipping: "That's a good one."
Zacharia's five-day stint ends after shaky debut
After the chaotic briefing, Zacharia faced scrutiny over her legal credentials after acknowledging that she had failed the California bar exam.
Trump hinted at her impending exit on October 16 during an impromptu news conference in front of the Marine One helicopter.
He told reporters that he had personally urged Zacharia to reconsider taking on the role.
"I said to Katie just two minutes ago, I said, Katie, you know, you don't have to do this... the news has been so nasty to her. I've never seen anything like it. And I said, I said to her honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider," he said.
"You think about it, but I wouldn't reconsider. She's got a beautiful husband and family ... maybe it's not for her," he added.
Hours later, officials announced that Zacharia had departed from the White House.
"President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to," she wrote on X the next day. "It was an honor to work for him."
Her short tenure sets a new record for the shortest time served as a White House press secretary or communications director.
Leavitt breaks silence on Zacharia
Leavitt stepped down as White House Press Secretary in August to spend more time with her children.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the mother of two weighed in on Zacharia’s controversial five-day tenure, emphasising the demands of the role and that it isn't a job everyone can handle.
"We wish Katie the best. The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well," she said. "White House press secretary is a tough job."
The 29-year-old also revealed that she is advising the 80-year-old president as he finds a suitable replacement for Zacharia.
"I’ve offered my help to the president to help him select someone who can serve him and the country well," she added.
When asked what qualities she believes Trump’s next press secretary should possess, she makes it clear that Trump needs someone who can stand their ground under pressure.
"He knows he needs someone who is tough, who is smart, who understands his policies, who is loyal, and who can go out there and put up a fight," she said.