President Donald Trump confirmed on a Friday evening that Katie Zacharia would assume the role of White House press secretary. The confirmation came after various U.S. media outlets and the German Press Agency reported that she had been offered the position.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Zacharia’s most recent role before the appointment was as a communications consultant for Trump Media. Her background includes work as a communications consultant for Trump Media.
At the time of the offer, Zacharia was serving as a communications adviser for President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform. She held this position at the time of the offer.
This date marks her last day in the role before the transition to Zacharia.
Zacharia had previously served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security.
The previous press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, completed her tenure on August 31, 2025. This date marks her last day in the role before the transition to Zacharia.
Leavitt was described as being barely 30 years old when she held the position.
About two weeks before Leavitt’s final day, President Trump announced her departure unexpectedly. The announcement preceded her actual exit from the office by roughly half a month.
On October 9, 2026, the White House formally offered the press secretary position to Katie Zacharia. The offer came after Leavitt’s departure.
President Trump confirmed Zacharia’s appointment on October 9, 2026.
The brief’s timeline lists October 9, 2026, as the date not only for the offer and Trump’s confirmation but also as the day Leavitt left the White House press secretary job, according to the provided chronology.
With Katie Zacharia now in place, the administration’s communications team has a new leader who brings experience from Trump Media, Truth Social, and the Department of Homeland Security.