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Katie Zacharia, US President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary, has lost her job just five days after taking office, marking what is believed to be the shortest tenure in the history of the position.
White House officials confirmed on Friday that Zacharia was leaving the role after a troubled start and growing scrutiny of her professional credentials.
Trump had earlier advised her to reconsider the position, saying the intense media criticism was making the job difficult.
He said he wanted her to be happy and believed she might be better off leaving the role.
Zacharia began her duties on Monday and held her first White House press briefing on Tuesday.
Her performance drew criticism, while questions emerged about her legal qualifications after she acknowledged that she had not passed the bar examination required to practise law in the United States.
Trump appointed Zacharia on October 9 to succeed Karoline Leavitt. Before her appointment, she worked in communications for Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the president’s social media platform, Truth Social.
Her abrupt departure leaves the Trump administration without a press secretary at a crucial time, with the US midterm elections approaching in November. Trump said he was in no hurry to name a replacement.
