Katie Zacharia was dismissed as White House press secretary while being interviewed about her new role, leaving the meeting after a senior Trump adviser arrived and never returning to the job.
The episode, which was detailed in an account by the Wall Street Journal, brought Zacharia’s five-day tenure as President Trump’s press secretary to an abrupt end.
Zacharia was seated behind her desk in a small office with only a handful of personal belongings, including a curling iron, stilettos, a cosmetic bag and a white orchid, when the interview took place.
During the conversation, Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Mr Trump, knocked on the door and said Vice President JD Vance wanted to speak to both of them. Zacharia left the room and did not return.
Mr Trump later recalled speaking to Zacharia earlier that day as he made his way to his new helipad. He told journalists: “I said, ‘Is this for you Katie? Because honestly, you don’t need this.’”
He added: “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider.”
Zacharia ultimately followed that advice, ending her brief time as White House press secretary after just five days.
