Katie Zacharia made her first official appearance as White House press secretary Monday, watching as President Trump boarded his helicopter for a campaign rally in Ohio featuring boxer and influencer Jake Paul and former NFL coach Jon Gruden.
From a short distance away, Zacharia observed as Trump spent several minutes speaking informally with reporters before stepping aboard Marine One. The president was headed to Youngstown for a midterm election event supporting Republican candidates.
Zacharia did not join Trump on the trip. Her first White House press briefing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Paul, a professional boxer and social media personality, and Gruden, a Barstool Sports commentator and Super Bowl-winning former NFL head coach, accompanied Trump on Marine One. Both are expected to take part in the Buckeye State rally.
Paul was seen wearing a red hat emblazoned with the words “America is Back.”
Trump has endorsed several Ohio Republicans, including Sen. Jon Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
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Husted is facing a closely contested battle against former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, while Ramaswamy is running against Amy Acton, a physician and former public health official.
Gruden, who was born in Sandusky, Ohio, played college football with Husted at the University of Dayton.
Earlier this month, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders coach rallied supporters at an Ohio event for Husted that also featured Trump.
Paul is also from Ohio and appeared with Trump at an event in Kentucky earlier this year, just across the state line.
During the gathering in Hebron, Kentucky, Trump predicted that the boxing and social media star would be “running for political office” in the not-too-distant future.
