Katie Zacharia appointed as White House press secretary following Leavitt's resignation

Donald Trump has appointed Katie Zacharia, a former spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem, as the new White House press secretary. This position became available after Karoline Leavitt resigned. Zacharia, 42, is a lawyer and has appeared frequently on Fox News and Newsmax. She served as a DHS spokeswoman for six weeks earlier this year before leaving the role in March. Trump confirmed her appointment in a post on Truth Social, describing her as 'outstanding' and a loyal supporter of his administration. Zacharia has been working as a communications adviser to Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates Truth Social. Leavitt's resignation at the end of August was to allow her to spend more time with her children, resulting in a vacancy for over a month. Trump consulted Leavitt before selecting Zacharia for the role. Zacharia reportedly met with Trump on the morning of her appointment. Prior to her selection, several other MAGA-aligned media figures were considered for the position. Zacharia's previous departure from DHS was surrounded by controversy, with some reports suggesting she was pushed out due to her connections with Corey Lewandowski, a close adviser to Noem. Zacharia denied these claims, stating that her departure was due to the challenges of commuting. She is the seventh consecutive woman to serve as press secretary, a trend that began with Sean Spicer. Her appointment comes just weeks before the midterm elections, where Republicans face potential losses in Congress amid economic concerns. Zacharia is married to Hollywood producer Tyler Zacharia, and they have four children.