White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Admits Bar Exam Failure

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia admitted on Thursday that she failed the bar exam and is not a licensed attorney. The admission came during an interview on Fox News' 'Hannity' show, where host Sean Hannity questioned her professional credentials and her performance during a widely criticized first press conference on Tuesday. That briefing lasted only 14 minutes and featured three questions from conservative outlets, leading some administration officials to describe the event as embarrassing.

Zacharia, a 2011 graduate of Pepperdine University's law school, explained that she sat for the exam before moving to China with her husband but viewed the results as inconsequential because she did not need a U.S. license to work at a Beijing law firm. She defended her use of the term lawyer, claiming legal professionals advised her the label was permissible based on her degree and experience, provided she did not offer legal advice. She characterized social media posts identifying her as an attorney as retweets for which she has since corrected the record.

President Donald Trump defended Zacharia's performance and appointment, despite reports that she was hired without a formal vetting process or consultation with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The Campaign for Accountability has since called on the California Bar Association to investigate, asserting that calling oneself a lawyer without a license is a crime in California.