Katie Zacharia responds to backlash of her first ever press briefing with brutal comment
Donald Trump's new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has responded to criticism of her first press briefing, after the appearance lasted just 14 minutes and drew attention for her visibly nervous delivery.
The 42-year-old, who succeeded Karoline Leavitt in the role, faced reporters on Tuesday, taking just three questions during her first appearance behind the White House podium.
Speaking to Real America's Voice host Jack Posobiec on Thursday, Zacharia tried to defend herself after the shaky first briefing, claiming she had woken up at '3 in the morning' that day and had not been given 'ample' time to prepare.
Zacharia said the briefing materials were not finalized until around 8am on Tuesday, leaving her with little time to prepare for the appearance.
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Why did Katie Zacharia's first White House briefing last 14 minutes?
Zacharia explained that the schedule for her first briefing was different from what she would typically expect for the role.
She told Posobiec that White House press briefings usually take place at around 1pm or 1:30pm, allowing the press secretary time to consult officials, gather information and prepare before speaking to journalists.
Instead, she said she received the briefing materials on Monday, which was Columbus Day, and that they were still being completed the following morning.
"I never had a full briefing beforehand and I went out and I effectuated the briefing," she said.
The short appearance was also intentional, according to Zacharia, who explained that Trump was due to leave Washington, D.C., that morning.
She said her original understanding was that the briefing would begin at 9:30am and finish by 10am, leaving time for the president to depart aboard Marine One.
Zacharia added that Trump enjoys speaking to reporters during informal exchanges as he boards the helicopter, and she wanted to give him room to do so rather than extend her own briefing.
How did Katie Zacharia become White House press secretary?
During the interview, Zacharia also detailed the hectic sequence of events that led to her taking on one of the administration's most visible communications roles.
She said she was taking her five-year-old son to a pumpkin patch on Wednesday when Trump called her about the position.
She flew to Washington on Thursday, met with the president on Friday and accepted the job that day, according to the New York Post.
After returning to California on Saturday to pack her belongings, she travelled back to Washington on Sunday and started work on Monday.
However, the briefing was not the only issue attracting attention.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Zacharia had failed the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011.
She addressed the reports during Thursday's interview, explaining that she had been planning to move to China to live with her future husband and 'didn't want to withdraw' from the exam.
In a phone interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, Zacharia said she had asked Pepperdine's president how to describe herself after graduating. She said she was advised against using 'attorney' or 'esquire' and was told to use 'lawyer' instead.
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Thomas Bamford