Trump’s New Press Secretary Faces Scrutiny Over Lawyer Claims
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is facing mounting questions over her legal credentials after a faltering first day in the job, when she gave an inconclusive answer about where she had passed the bar exam.
Trump described Zacharia as “an attorney” when announcing her appointment on Friday. But journalists have found no public record of her being licensed to practise law in any US state, and a watchdog group has now asked the State Bar of California to investigate whether she broke the law by presenting herself as a lawyer.
Trump press secretary credentials: the questions being asked
Zacharia, 41, appeared at her inaugural press briefing on Tuesday. When reporters asked where she had passed the bar exam, she replied: “When I moved to China.”
A review by The Guardian found no record of Zacharia in 38 states, as well as Washington DC and the Virgin Islands, where attorney lists are publicly available. The State Bar of California confirmed it had no record of her holding a licence under either her married or maiden name.
Pepperdine University confirmed that Zacharia graduated from its law school in 2011. But a law degree alone does not authorise anyone to practise law in the United States. Admission to a state bar, which normally requires passing the bar exam, is the requirement.
Zacharia’s LinkedIn profile lists her as general counsel of Fix California, a conservative non-profit founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell, from January 2024 to March 2025. Tax filings show the organisation never paid her a salary, though she received $27,367 in 2024 as a commission for fundraising. The profile also says she worked as an associate on the international practice team of the Zhong Lun law firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. Only Chinese citizens can be licensed as lawyers in China, though foreign staff can work in other roles.
Her bio also called her “outside counsel to the IFC and the World Bank”, a claim questioned after a mining company’s June 2026 press release described the role more modestly.
Watchdog files complaint
The Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit watchdog, filed a complaint with the State Bar of California on Wednesday, asking it to investigate whether Zacharia had misled the public. The group said she had repeatedly described herself as a lawyer on television and listed herself as general counsel of the California-based non-profit.
“Ms Zacharia has represented herself as a lawyer repeatedly to buttress her reputation and credibility,” the group’s executive director Michelle Kuppersmith said. “The State Bar should investigate whether Ms Zacharia has misled the public about her credentials.”
In California, falsely presenting oneself as a licensed attorney can be a misdemeanour carrying a fine and possible jail time.
Zacharia later told AFP: “I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.” The statement did not clarify whether she held a US law licence. A White House official said she moved to China with her husband after graduation and worked on international law, but did not answer whether she had passed a bar exam.
The episode adds to an already tense relationship between the administration and the press. Trump announced in September that CNN, Politico and MS NOW would lose White House access, a ban a federal judge later ruled likely unlawful. His new spokeswoman now faces questions about her own record before she has settled into the briefing room.
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FAQs
Who is Katie Zacharia?
Katie Zacharia, 41, is President Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House press secretary, announced on October 9, 2026. She graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011 and previously worked with the conservative group Fix California.
Why are her credentials under scrutiny?
Journalists found no record of her holding a law licence in any US state, despite Trump calling her “an attorney” and her own descriptions of herself as a lawyer. When asked where she passed the bar exam, she answered: “When I moved to China.”
What action has been taken?
The Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the State Bar of California asking it to investigate whether Zacharia misled the public. In California, falsely presenting oneself as a licensed attorney can be a misdemeanour.
Does a law degree make someone a lawyer?
No. In the United States, a Juris Doctor degree alone does not authorise legal practice. A lawyer must be admitted to a state bar, which normally requires passing the bar examination.
