Katie Zacharia, a conservative commentator and former Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, has been selected as US President Donald Trump’s next White House press secretary. She will replace Karoline Leavitt, who left the position in August.
Zacharia previously served as a spokesperson for then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and has frequently appeared on conservative media outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax, as well as CNN. According to her LinkedIn profile, she currently works as a senior communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social.
Based in California, Zacharia has also worked with Fix California, a conservative nonprofit founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell. Her appointment would bring another familiar conservative media voice into the Trump administration’s communications team.
Who Is Katie Zacharia?
Zacharia is an attorney and political commentator whose career spans corporate law, political advocacy and nonprofit fundraising. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security.
She first arrived in Washington in 2006 as an intern for the Republican National Committee during former President George W. Bush’s administration. She later worked with Fix California as a legal adviser, serves as the organisation’s chief advancement officer and advises its founder, Richard Grenell.
Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2007 before earning her Juris Doctor degree in 2011. Born on March 23, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, she is 42 years old in 2026.
What Did Katie Zacharia Say About Her Appointment?
In a post on X accepting the role, Zacharia thanked Trump for the opportunity to serve as White House press secretary, describing it as the “honor of a lifetime.”
She said she looked forward to communicating the administration’s work and achievements to the American people, while also working with the White House press corps and reporters across the country.
Zacharia acknowledged the high standard set by her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, saying that following her was “a high standard, and one worth meeting.”