Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, confirmed on Thursday that she has never passed a bar exam or held the title of "attorney," while asserting that she has not misrepresented her legal career. In her first extended interview since taking the position, Zacharia addressed various controversies surrounding her appointment. She explained the brevity of her initial press briefing and expressed her hopes for a portrayal on "Saturday Night Live." The interview was conducted by Jack Posobiec, a right-wing influencer known for promoting conspiracy theories.
Zacharia stated that she had taken a bar exam but did not pass. Despite this, President Trump has referred to her as "an attorney." In the past, he has criticized figures like Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris for their bar exam failures, although both eventually passed. Zacharia has identified herself as a "lawyer" in media appearances, and her defense of this title hinges on her interpretation of the terms "lawyer" and "attorney."
Legal experts have noted that under California law, one must be licensed by the State Bar to practice law or to represent oneself as an attorney. Jeremy Fogel, a retired federal judge, stated, "A person who has graduated from law school obviously has legal training, but the law doesn’t authorize them to represent that they are an attorney or a lawyer."
Zacharia mentioned that she was advised by a president of Pepperdine University that it was acceptable to identify as a lawyer on television. However, she did not disclose which president provided this advice. She graduated from Pepperdine in 2011, during which Andrew K. Benton was the president. Benton clarified that he did not provide such advice but described her as "a young woman of high integrity." Jim Gash, the current president, did not comment on private conversations but expressed pride in her accomplishments.
In the interview, Zacharia described the rapid process of her hiring, stating that she received a call from President Trump while taking her son to a pumpkin patch. She flew to meet him the next day and accepted the job shortly thereafter. She returned to California to pack before starting her role, which included a press briefing that lasted less than six minutes and involved questions from only three outlets. She explained that the short briefing was due to the president's schedule.
Zacharia expressed her focus on her responsibilities and the president's activities, indicating that she was not following media coverage about her. When asked about potential portrayals on "Saturday Night Live," she suggested she would like to be played by someone like Scarlett Johansson.
Shawn McCreesh is a White House reporter for The New York Times covering the Trump administration.