WASHINGTON — Katie Zacharia held her first White House press briefing Tuesday, beginning her tenure as President Donald Trump’s chief spokesperson before the White House press corps.
Zacharia, the 37th White House press secretary, succeeds Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August.
Zacharia Opens Her First Briefing
Zacharia began by thanking Trump for appointing her and said she looked forward to working with the journalists covering the administration.
During her prepared remarks, she promoted the administration’s record on the economy, energy production and prescription-drug costs. Those statements reflected the White House’s characterization of its accomplishments.
Zacharia also discussed Trump’s campaign schedule ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. She said additional stops had been added in Georgia, Kentucky and Florida.
New Media Seat Will Remain
When asked about media access, Zacharia said the White House would retain the New Media Seat introduced during Leavitt’s tenure.
She also said the administration intends to expand opportunities for newer and independent media organizations when possible.
“We love new media, and we want to be able to embrace it.”Katie Zacharia
White House Asked Guilfoyle to Resign
During the question-and-answer portion, Zacharia confirmed that the administration had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, to resign.
Zacharia described Guilfoyle as an asset to the administration and wished her well. The White House did not announce a replacement during the briefing.
Questions From Reporters
Zacharia called on reporters from Breitbart News, Fox News and the Daily Mail during the briefing.
When asked whether the United States had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, Zacharia did not provide an immediate answer and said she would follow up.
Asked About Balancing Family and the Job
A reporter asked how Zacharia planned to manage the demanding position while raising four children and whether Leavitt had offered advice.
Zacharia said her family remains her priority and that she plans to include her children in her working life when possible. She said Trump knew she had four children and understood the position would be demanding when he appointed her, which she interpreted as confidence that she could handle the role.
She also characterized Trump as family-friendly and said he had hired women with families.
The briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes. As White House press secretary, Zacharia will be responsible for communicating administration decisions and responding to questions from journalists as the administration moves toward the November midterm elections.
Watch the full October 13 briefing in the White House video library.