Katie Zacharia Fired After Five Days Amid Questions Over Legal Credentials

Katie Zacharia's appointment as White House press secretary quickly brought scrutiny of how she had described her legal background. She had called herself a lawyer, and President Donald Trump had called her "an attorney," according to ABC Top Stories.

Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011, NDTV Top Stories reported. But graduating from law school does not automatically qualify someone to practice law. That distinction became central to the questions surrounding her credentials.

She had also listed herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit, according to The Hindu.

Zacharia began work on Monday, October 12, according to ABCNews.com. Her debut press briefing followed on Tuesday, October 13, and drew criticism, Deadline Hollywood reported.

On October 15, ABC Top Stories reported, citing sources, that Zacharia had not passed the bar exam. The same day, The New York Times reported that she acknowledged failing it in an interview with a right-wing influencer, while defending her use of the word lawyer.

Zacharia continued defending her background and the brevity of her first briefing on Thursday, October 15, according to Fast Company. NDTV Top Stories subsequently reported her explanation that she had never intended to practice law.

On Friday, October 16, Trump publicly questioned whether she should remain in the position. He told reporters he had urged her to "reconsider" the job, according to The Hill.

Reports of her dismissal followed. Business Insider reported that news she had been fired emerged minutes after Trump's remarks.

Zacharia is out after five days as White House press secretary. NBC News reported her departure, citing a senior administration official, an administration official and a source familiar with the decision. The Guardian reported that she was fired Friday, citing a White House official not authorized to speak publicly.

Some coverage described her tenure as roughly a week, while other reports counted five days in office. Earlier Friday reports framed her departure as a possibility; the subsequent reporting established that she was leaving. The supplied coverage does not identify a successor.