Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role as White House press secretary after fewer than five days in the job, following a request from Donald Trump that she reconsider her position.
Trump told reporters at the White House that he had said to Zacharia: “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Honestly if I were you I’d reconsider.”
Asked whether he would fire her, the US president replied: “No, I want her to have a good life.” He added: “Maybe it’s not for her.”
A senior White House official said Zacharia was “transitioning out” of the position on Friday. Her departure would make her tenure shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s 11-day spell as White House communications director in 2017.
Zacharia’s brief period as press secretary had been troubled from the outset. Her first briefing lasted 14 minutes and drew criticism over her nervous performance.
The development also follows revelations that she had not passed the bar exam, despite describing herself as a lawyer.
Zacharia and her family were due to have dinner with Vice-President JD Vance and his family on Friday evening, according to a source familiar with the plans.
