Press Secretary’s Debut Draws a Devastating Verdict

Katie Zacharia opened her first appearance before the cameras in the James S. Brady Briefing Room on Tuesday with a bright, elongated “Good morninggg…” She projected the polished, television-ready image of the White House press secretary Donald Trump might have selected from central casting.

But the promising start quickly faded.

“I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people,” Zacharia said, reading rapidly from her notes. Her eyes remained lowered for much of the statement, lifting only occasionally to face the journalists gathered in the room.

The White House press corps had been waiting six weeks for a successor to Karoline Leavitt, who unexpectedly resigned in August. Reporters listened closely as Zacharia delivered her first remarks in the role.

“Enthusiastic, hardworking Americans are lining up and packing arenas to support President Trump and Republicans and it… is… not… hard… to… see… why,” Zacharia, 41, read in a halting, highly measured rhythm.

The delivery came across as relentlessly upbeat but somewhat mechanical, suggesting that the new White House spokesperson was still adjusting to the demands of the podium.

She went on to say that Trump was fighting for American workers “every… minute… of… every… day,” reading from a prepared line known in White House press circles as a “topper.” Zacharia appeared to have been instructed to slow down and emphasize each word, though the approach sometimes sounded overly deliberate.

Her opening statement lasted nearly nine minutes and presented a sweeping list of administration achievements, including rising real wages, one million private-sector jobs, new Naval bases under construction and lower drug prices. The Iran war was not mentioned. Instead, the speech moved through a series of accomplishments with emphasis occasionally falling on words in unexpected places.

Trump, Zacharia declared, had delivered the “biggest oil deal in WORLD history” and won a “historic one-day war with… VENEZUELA.”

As the statement continued, Zacharia increasingly looked down at her script. She then paused, grimaced and struggled while describing an investment in an Alaska pipeline: “In addition to that it will be… it, we, will be… he, it… ahh… there is 54 billion dollars…”

“And with that, I will take your QUESTIONS,” Zacharia said cautiously.

The opening remarks at a White House briefing are normally followed by an extensive question-and-answer session that can last almost an hour. Zacharia, however, took questions from only three reporters.

A Breitbart reporter asked about the record of her predecessor. “Firstly, my predecessor Karoline Leavitt did an incredible job,” Zacharia replied.

One anonymous White House official, among several sources said to have issued comments to the media, was later quoted as saying that staff were “missing Karoline today.”

Fox News asked Zacharia how she viewed her responsibilities as press secretary. She said she hoped to “amplify, multiply, and expand upon President Trump’s incredible agenda,” a response that drifted into the kind of extended phrasing associated with former Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Before joining the administration, Zacharia had worked as a pro-Trump television commentator on conservative cable news. She was reportedly chosen by Trump after remaining largely unknown outside those circles. Drawing on that background, she said she intended to “only build on, only amplify and only multiply, to the extent possible, all of the wins [Trump is] making for Americans.”

“[President Trump] is his own best spokesman,” she added. After Zacharia’s first appearance, that claim appeared more convincing than it had the day before.

Though for one thing, Zacharia’s devotion to the President appears sincere. ‘My President… excuse me… my husband… that’s a good one’ she stumbled when speaking about her dedication to her spouse and four children.

The strongest moment of the outing may have been the White House’s worst.

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Responding to a question from Our News Outlet, Zacharia revealed that the President asked embattled Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign. It was a mic drop moment that dominated the headlines. Shortly after the announcement Guilfoyle tweeted that she is stepping down, while denying all allegations against her.

Why Guilfoyle wasn’t afforded the opportunity to disclose her own career move before it was released publicly is unclear, but communications pros speculated that the information was released with purpose.

‘From a strategic perspective that was a smart move,’ Democratic strategist Melissa Derosa told Fox News. ‘You don’t want to be the story. [Zacharia] came out loaded with news, dropped the mic and walked away.’

Indeed, she did.

Approximately, six minutes into the Q&A, Zacharia wrapped it up.

‘I am going to end it because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska, and we can ask him all of the questions out there,’ she said, as the color seemed to rush back into her face.

One well-known TV reporter was overheard noting that the briefing was the shortest that they had ever been to. Others muttered that Zacharia seemed a little nervous, but most extended her some grace.

Behind the scenes, questions were asked about why Zacharia was thrown into the deep end so quickly, having only been appointed on Friday after a whirlwind 72-hours that Our News Outlet exclusively reported blindsided Trump’s own West Wing. Four sources said she was even hired without consultation with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Former Trump White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, now a co-host on Fox News, recalled that she was allowed two weeks in the job before briefing the media. Zacharia only had a weekend.

Of course, Zacharia is far from the first White House communicator to receive poor opening reviews.

Trump’s first press secretary Sean Spicer was mercilessly ridiculed on Saturday Night Live. He lasted about six months.

Ominously, one White House insider told MS NOW: ‘She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she’ll break [Anthony] Scaramucci’s record.’

The Trump fundraiser and financer lasted just 11 days in the role. Scaramucci tweeted Tuesday: ‘The clock is running. Thus far 1/11th of a Scaramucci… I hope she makes it.’

When it was all said and done, praise for Zacharia was hard to find – and the critics were gleeful.

Bill Clinton’s former press secretary Joe Lockhart told CNN: ‘It was a little bizarre to rush her out there, then rush her out of the room. I’m not sure what they were hoping to accomplish but I don’t think they built any confidence in her ability to go forward.’

Of course, there’s only one review that truly counts in this White House, and if the President was having any buyer’s remorse, he didn’t show it.

‘I thought she did excellent,’ said President Trump. ‘She did very good.’

There was then a slightly awkward moment, however.

As the President and Zacharia stood together near Marine One after the briefing, they were asked where Zacharia, an attorney, had passed the bar exam, no record of it having been found by journalists.

‘Which state?’ Trump chimed in, turning to his newly minted press secretary.

‘When I moved to China,’ she replied rather cryptically, leaving reporters, and possibly Trump, scratching their heads.

Perhaps all will be revealed at the next briefing.