President Donald Trump has chosen conservative commentator Katie Zacharia to be the next White House press secretary, ending a search that has left the administration's most public-facing podium empty for more than a month. A White House official confirmed on Friday that the position has been offered to Zacharia, a senior communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group who served briefly as a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson earlier this year. The New York Times first reported the selection, citing two people familiar with the matter.
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The pick {#the-pick}
The offer closes a staffing gap that opened when Karoline Leavitt departed at the end of August, after serving as press secretary since the start of Trump's second administration. Trump personally called close allies in recent days to sound out the choice — including Leavitt herself, whose counsel the president sought before making a final decision, according to CNN.
If Zacharia accepts, she would become the seventh woman in a row to hold the post. The last man to serve as White House press secretary was Sean Spicer, who held the role for six months at the start of Trump's first term. The White House has not formally announced the pick, and it was not immediately clear whether Zacharia had accepted.
Who is Katie Zacharia? {#who-is-katie-zacharia}
Zacharia's career has moved between conservative politics, media and corporate law. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has been a senior communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group — the company behind Truth Social — since June 2026. She has appeared as a commentator on Fox News, Newsmax and CNN, and previously served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative advocacy group founded by Ric Grenell, one of Trump's close allies and his special missions envoy.
Her stint inside the administration was short. Zacharia served for about six weeks in early 2026 as a spokeswoman and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, under then-Secretary Kristi Noem. She departed in March, shortly after Markwayne Mullin took over leadership of the department. A mother of four, she has said the long commute from California strained her family — a detail that may matter this time around, given the press secretary's famously punishing schedule of daily briefings and constant travel.
Her earlier résumé includes corporate law, political advocacy, higher-education and nonprofit work, a law degree from the Caruso School of Law, and an internship with the Republican National Committee during the George W. Bush administration. The New York Post reported that during her DHS tenure she was close to Noem and to Corey Lewandowski, the president's longtime political adviser — a relationship that could reshape the dynamics of Trump's inner circle, where both Lewandowski and Grenell are reported to be at odds with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
A vacancy that has lingered {#vacancy}
Leavitt's exit left the briefing room without a named principal for more than a month, an unusually long gap for a role that defines the administration's public voice. Leavitt, who took the job at the start of the second term, left shortly after the birth of her second child to spend more time with her family.
Names floated during the interregnum included deputy press secretary Anna Kelly and CNN commentator Scott Jennings, who was said to be a frontrunner at one point. The ultimate choice of Zacharia — a relative outsider to the daily communications grind who is best known for television commentary — suggests Trump prioritized on-camera polish and loyalty over briefing-room experience.
Why the timing matters {#timing}
The appointment lands weeks before the November 3 midterm congressional elections, in which the administration is fighting to hold Congress. Trump is simultaneously managing high-stakes diplomacy — including what he has called "productive" talks with Iran, while ruling out a new strike on Tehran before the midterms — and domestic battles such as the administration's probe of Fed governor Lisa Cook. The next press secretary will inherit all of it: a war-room schedule, an adversarial press corps, and a president who prizes combative messaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Katie Zacharia?
Katie Zacharia is a conservative commentator and senior communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social. She briefly served as a DHS spokeswoman in early 2026 under Kristi Noem and previously worked as general counsel for the conservative group Fix California.
Why is the White House press secretary job open?
The position has been vacant since Karoline Leavitt left at the end of August 2026 to spend more time with her family after the birth of her second child. She had served as press secretary since the start of Trump's second administration.
Has Zacharia accepted the role?
It was not immediately clear on Friday whether she had accepted. The White House had not formally announced the selection, though a White House official confirmed the offer and The New York Times reported the decision first.
How many women have served as White House press secretary recently?
If she accepts, Zacharia would be the seventh woman in a row to hold the role. The last man in the job was Sean Spicer, who served for six months at the start of Trump's first term.
Sources: Al Jazeera, CNN, USA Today, Reuters, New York Post.
