Trump fires his new spokesperson after just one week

Battered since her appointment because of lies about her qualifications, Katie Zacharia has lost the president's confidence.

Five days: White House spokeswoman Katie Zacharia, appointed a week ago by Donald Trump and in office since Monday, left on Friday, thus becoming the shortest-serving "Press Secretary" in recent history.

A senior US official told AFP that a Fox News report that the 41-year-old lawyer was officially leaving her post was accurate. Donald Trump had already pushed her out earlier in the day, urging her to "reconsider" her position. "I just spoke to her about it. I said, 'Katie, is this right for you?'" he said during a briefing with reporters at the White House.

In a presidency thus far marked by relative discipline, this abrupt departure is reminiscent of the chaos and revolving door of advisors that characterized Donald Trump's first term in the White House (2017-2021). One of the emblematic episodes of that era was the dismissal in 2017 of White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci after only 11 days, a record easily surpassed by Katie Zacharia.

Pseudo-lawyer unmasked

The fate of this conservative commentator, little known to the general public, who made a very labored impression on Tuesday during her first briefing and who is accused of lying about her professional qualifications, already seemed sealed by Friday morning. She gave a series of interviews to journalists and media outlets firmly entrenched in the conservative camp, undoubtedly intended to help her backtrack, but which had the opposite effect and further weakened her position.

Katie Zacharia was particularly challenged Thursday evening by Sean Hannity, a star Fox News host and close confidant of the president. "You're saying your staff should have prepared you better?" the openly skeptical host asked, referring to the briefing given Tuesday by the new press secretary, which was rushed and particularly laborious. He then questioned her at length about her professional qualifications, a subject of controversy since her appointment was announced, and pressed Zacharia, who had presented herself as a lawyer, to admit that she had not passed the bar exam.

According to several press reports, the choice of this new spokesperson reflects growing unease within Donald Trump's inner circle. The American president reportedly selected her after seeing her on television programs, against the advice of his influential chief of staff, Susie Wiles.

Contrast with Karoline Leavitt

According to Politico, Susie Wiles herself is now in a precarious position, and the names of advisor Stephen Miller or Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton are circulating as possible replacements. Donald Trump denied this on Friday, asserting that there was "zero probability" he would fire his Chief of Staff and that she would remain by his side for a long time to come.

The US president also dismissed the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, this week, whose position had been weakened by a series of damaging revelations. Before this brief stint at the White House, Katie Zacharia had already served, for just six weeks, as spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. She left the position citing separation from her family, who remained in California.

The position of White House press secretary was held until last August by Karoline Leavitt, a loyal supporter of Donald Trump, who left to care for her young children. Where Katie Zacharia appeared almost paralyzed at the podium on Tuesday, the former Press Secretary impressed with her poise and quick wit, which she used to defend without the slightest hesitation all of the American president's decisions and statements.