Trump's press secretary Katie Zacharia says where she passed the bar exam and sparks mass confusion

Katie Zacharia has described herself as an attorney, but her latest comments raise serious questions about whether she is allowed to practice law in the US.

The conservative commentator, now White House Press Secretary, is facing a lot of heat around her legal qualifications following her White House media briefing.

As Donald Trump spoke to reporters afterwards, one asked him: "What state did she pass the bar exam in? You said she is an attorney. Where did she pass the bar exam? Which State?"

Trump turned to Zacharia, who was standing beside him, and asked: "Which state?"

Zacharia answered: "When I moved to China."

Her reply added to the confusion over where she may be licensed to practice law in the United States, as state bar exams are generally administered in person within the jurisdiction.

The University of Dayton, Ohio, explains that laws in the US are governed individually by each state, adding: "A lawyer must pass at least one jurisdiction’s admission requirements in order to practice law in the United States.

"Absent a practice exclusively in an area of federal law (for example, immigration law), this will be the jurisdiction in which the foreign lawyer’s office is physically located or the jurisdiction where the lawyer is actively practicing law."

In a statement to Business Insider, Zacharia said she 'practiced international transactional law, with all the appropriate credentials.'

She did not say whether she had passed the bar in any state.

White House communications director Steven Cheung also praised her. "Katie is a fabulous and wonderful addition to the team," he said.

"She is uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his Administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as Press Secretary."

She succeeds Karoline Leavitt, who left the role in August to spend more time with her young children.

According to Pepperdine University, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science and government in 2007 and a law degree from its Caruso School of Law in 2011.

The White House said that after graduating, she moved to China with her husband for his job at an American private equity firm.

Where has Katie Zacharia worked before?

Her résumé spans media and government.

She used to work as a senior communications advisor at Trump Media and Technology Group, which runs Truth Social.

She also worked as a spokesperson for former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security, and as a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax.

Her LinkedIn profile also indicates she serves as general counsel for the conservative nonprofit Fix California, and she served as a White House intern in 2006, during President George W. Bush's second term.

Trump announced her appointment in a Truth Social post last week, saying she has an ‘unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning'.

He also referred to her as an attorney in the post. "I want to thank President Trump for the trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time," Zacharia said during Tuesday's White House press briefing.

UNILAD has contacted the White House for comment.