Katie Zacharia, a conservative commentator whom President Donald Trump picked as the new White House press secretary, made her formal debut at the briefing room podium on Tuesday, Oct. 13, introducing herself and taking questions from the press.
"I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House press secretary," Zacharia said as she took the mic. "I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time. I'm looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz with energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms, thanks to President Trump."
She then proceeded to share
a list of successes achieved by the Trump administration before taking a handful of questions, one of which was about how she plans to balance her new role with her family responsibilities.
"First of all, I want to give my husband an amazing shout out," Zacharia said. "We have four kids ranging from 12, 10, 8, and 6. Three of them are boys, so we have a handful."
The new press secretary said the family will be relocating to Washington, D.C., from California, and that she plans to involve her children in her work as much as possible, though she understands it's hard to maintain work-life balance in a job like this.
"I would love to share that in my career I stayed home with my kids from 2014 to 2020, and in the process of having them and then when I started working again, I was able to integrate them into my life," Zacharia said, noting her children would accompany her to the Fox Bureau, where she previously worked.
"Though my work will be demanding, they will always be a priority," she added.
'Family-friendly president'
Zacharia also praised Trump for being the most "family-friendly president we've ever had," claiming he "hired more women with families."
"And the fact that he knew I had four kids and he knew that this job would be demanding and still placed his trust in me shows that I know I'm capable of being able to step up to that," Zacharia said.
Trump says Zacharia will be 'terrific'
Trump announced Zacharia as new White House press secretary on Oct. 9, saying she's going to be "I think – terrific." On Oct. 12, he announced that she would be making her debut and taking the podium for "an introductory News Conference."
"Katie has been with me, in spirit, from the very beginning, and will do a fantastic job!" Trump said on Truth Social.
Zacharia is assuming the role as one of the most visible members of the administration just three weeks ahead of the crucial Nov. 3 midterm elections. She's set to serve as a key defender of Trump as his poll numbers have dropped to historic lows amid an unpopular war and rise in gas prices. The president frequently complains that his accomplishments have not adequately been conveyed to the American people amid his feuds with members of the media.
"We’re doing a great job in running the country, but we’re not doing a good job of public relations," he said at a rally in Durant, Oklahoma, on Oct. 1.
Who is Katie Zacharia?
Zacharia, 41, who briefly worked as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, is a senior communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company that runs Truth Social.
An attorney by training and frequent commentator on news channels, including Newsmax and Fox News, she is the seventh woman in a row to serve as White House press secretary.
"She was previously involved in my Campaigns, assisting in key Swing States, where we won 7 out of 7. She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Zacharia replaces Karoline Leavitt
Zacharia was tapped for the role after Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary, left her position in August.
Trump frequently praised Leavitt for her sparring with reporters and posted an ode to her on Oct. 11, just moments before he announced that Zacharia would start her official position on Columbus Day and take the podium the following day.
"I just want to pay my respect and thanks to Karoline Leavitt for the fantastic job she has done as White House Press Secretary – Could not have been better!" he wrote on Truth Social.
Zacharia, during her briefing, also praised Leavitt for being "an incredible support."
"She gave me great and wonderful feedback on how to balance," Zacharia said.
Zacharia announces Kimberly Guilfoyle's resignation
Zacharia, in her first briefing, also announced that Trump is dismissing Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece after a series of reports raised questions about her conduct on the job.
The press secretary said Guilfoyle had been asked to resign after nearly a week of speculation that Guilfoyle, the former fiancée of Trump son Don. Jr., would be let go.
“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign," Zacharia said. "She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Katie Zacharia takes the podium for first White House briefing
