Trump Dismisses White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt-Era Successor Katie Zakarija After Five Days

US President Donald Trump has dismissed White House press secretary Keitija Zakarija, who served as the administration's chief spokesperson for less than a week. The US broadcaster CNN reported the dismissal, citing the president's advisers. Her tenure was shorter than that of any comparable White House official used as a benchmark in recent years.

The president's final remarks

Before the dismissal, Trump told reporters that on Friday morning he had urged Zakarija to reconsider her future in the job. In his account, he told her that if he were in her position, he would think it over again. He also asked whether she really needed the job, and said the final decision would be hers. Before travelling to a political rally in the state of Georgia, the president said the media had treated her unfairly, but added that the post perhaps was not meant for her.

A White House official told CNN that Zakarija is leaving the press secretary post, while one adviser said she would leave the White House within days.

Criticism and questions over experience

Zakarija had caught Trump's attention as a conservative political commentator on television. The decision to appoint her was made quickly, after other candidates were deemed unsuitable because of earlier critical comments they had made about Trump. At Tuesday's press briefing she appeared nervous and answered only three questions. Later she gave a confusing answer about where she had passed the bar exam, since Trump had described her as a lawyer when announcing her appointment. It turned out she had never passed it, which she explained herself in interviews on Fox News.

Relations with the administration

A source close to the president told CNN that Trump still respects Zakarija. On Friday evening she and her family dined at the residence of Vice President James David Vance.

Her five-day tenure was shorter than that of Anthony Scaramucci, who lasted 11 days as White House communications director in 2017.