Katie Zacharia out as White House press secretary after first week on the job

Updated on: October 16, 2026 / 2:07 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Katie Zacharia, President Trump's new White House press secretary, is being removed from the role after her first week on the job, two U.S. officials told CBS News on Friday.

Some White House staff learned about the change from news coverage. The New York Times first reported that she had been fired.

One aide said Zacharia spent the week unusually isolated and didn't function as a press secretary.

"No one thought she was sticking around long enough to even involve her in actual decision-making," the aide said.

Leaving the White House on Friday, the president signaled that Zacharia might not be in the role for long, saying he told her he would "reconsider" taking the job if he were in her shoes.

"They've been so nasty to her," Mr. Trump said, referring to the press. "I said, to her, 'Honestly if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it. But I would reconsider. You got a beautiful husband and family.' I met the family yesterday. Beautiful kids. It's like from a picture postcard. I said, 'You should reconsider. Because you don't want to go through…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/