CNN video / Oct. 16, 2026 / Donald Trump has fired White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia after just five days on the job, marking the shortest tenure for a press secretary in US history.
Zacharia served for only five days - roughly half the length of Anthony Scaramucci's notoriously brief stint in 2017. Her lone press briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, lasted 14 minutes (with only about 5 and a half minutes spent taking questions from three reporters) and featured a shaky, scripted delivery.
Scrutiny intensified after questions arose regarding her legal credentials—she was introduced by Trump as an "attorney" despite later confirming she failed the bar exam. Following a tense appearance on Fox News on Thursday with Sean Hannity and discussions with advisers, Trump told reporters he advised her to "reconsider" the role before her departure was finalized on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.