Alumni Express Discontent Over Tribute to New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia at Pepperdine University

<figure><img alt="Reporters raise their hands to ask questions as the new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds her first press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US, October 13, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/WHCNL4FYHJEEXLQQEZR354GI24.JPG?auth=cc9502ec3ea9f468f570b894963d9771c51fcb9033ce4bd19aff7bbb92dd4f29&amp;smart=true&amp;width=4950&amp;height=2784" /><figcaption>Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque</figcaption></figure><p>Katie Zacharia, the newly appointed White House Press Secretary, is facing backlash from alumni of Pepperdine University, where she completed her undergraduate and law degrees. The university received criticism for its supportive social media posts regarding Zacharia's new role.</p><p>A spokesperson for Pepperdine University praised Zacharia in an Instagram post, stating, "Katie is a valued member of our Dean’s Council. We are proud to see her take on this important role in public service and represent the Pepperdine community on a national stage." This post included a photo of Zacharia.</p><p>However, many alumni expressed their disapproval in the comments section. One commenter, identifying as Waldmansheeranfamily, stated, "As a Pepperdine graduate, I’m ashamed to see my alma mater celebrating this," which received nearly 600 likes. Another commenter, lawyerfabi, expressed disappointment, stating, "This administration is destroying the rule of law."</p><p>Some alumni accused the university of deleting negative comments from the post, prompting questions about the validity of differing opinions among alumni.</p><p>A university spokesperson did not respond to inquiries regarding the alleged deletion of comments. Additionally, Zacharia's first press briefing on October 13, 2026, received mixed reviews, with some commenters criticizing her performance.</p><p>During the briefing, Zacharia took questions only from conservative media outlets, including Breitbart, Fox News, and the Daily Mail. She faced challenges in responding to questions, particularly regarding her ability to balance her new role with family responsibilities.</p><p>Concerns have also been raised about Zacharia's legal credentials. Reports indicate that there is no publicly available evidence confirming that she has passed a bar exam or been admitted to practice law in any U.S. state, despite her claims of being a practicing attorney.</p><p>Her LinkedIn profile mentions her previous work as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm, a Chinese law firm, but this does not confirm her status regarding U.S. legal practice.</p><p>Comments on the university's post reflected skepticism about her qualifications, with one user questioning, "Oh, this just gets better and better. Passed the bar in China, huh?"</p>