US President Donald Trump has signalled a possible early exit for White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, telling her to reconsider her position days after her first televised briefing drew scrutiny and speculation about her future.
The development puts Zacharia’s brief tenure under pressure barely days after she assumed the role on October 12, 2026, with the White House confirming that she is “transitioning out” of the position, although no departure date was announced.
According to a BBC live report, Trump disclosed that he had spoken with Zacharia about her role, saying he had advised her to reconsider it following what was described as a rocky start.
Zacharia’s first White House press briefing on Tuesday lasted about 14 minutes and was marked by her reliance on prepared remarks. The BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, who attended the session, described the appearance as nervous and stilted, noting that journalists had questioned how long she would remain in the job.
The briefing was followed by a period in which Zacharia was notably absent from public appearances, even as she had travelled with Trump on a series of Republican campaign rallies in Alaska, Arizona and Montana ahead of the November midterm elections.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Zacharia had expressed enthusiasm about joining the president on the campaign trail, saying the rallies were making a substantial difference to the midterm elections.
Her apparent departure has also drawn a reaction from Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director for just 10 days in 2017 before leaving the administration.
“Records are made to be broken,” Scaramucci wrote on X, adding that he took no pleasure in another person’s difficulties.
Although both cases involve unusually short tenures, Scaramucci’s former position as communications director was distinct from Zacharia’s role as press secretary, which involves serving as a principal public spokesperson for the president and the administration.
Zacharia’s possible exit would add to the turnover among Trump’s press secretaries. His first administration had Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany in the position, while Karoline Leavitt served during his second term before her departure in August 2026, according to the BBC’s account.
The latest development leaves uncertainty over who will handle the administration’s daily media briefings if Zacharia’s departure is completed, and whether the White House will announce a replacement before the November elections.
Her brief spell in the role has placed renewed attention on the demands of communicating the president’s message, particularly during a politically sensitive campaign period when the administration faces sustained questions from the media.
