White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has acknowledged that she did not pass the bar exam, following questions about her legal credentials after she joined President Donald Trump’s administration.
Zacharia, who attended Pepperdine University School of Law and has previously been described as a lawyer, confirmed the information during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday.
“You went to Pepperdine Law School but you did not pass the bar exam, correct?” Hannity asked.
“Correct,” Zacharia replied.
The admission follows growing scrutiny of her professional background during her first week as White House press secretary.
Questions Follow First White House Briefing
Zacharia’s legal credentials became a topic of discussion after her first press briefing at the White House on Tuesday. The briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, and she took questions from reporters representing three media outlets.
During the briefing, journalists asked her which state she had passed the bar exam in. She reportedly responded twice, “When I moved to China.”
Zacharia later explained that she had misheard the question because of the noise from Marine One, the presidential helicopter. She also said she did not want to violate protocol by stepping in front of the president to move closer to the reporters.
The exchange prompted further questions about her qualifications and previous descriptions of her as an attorney.
Trump Appointed Zacharia to the Role
President Trump selected Zacharia to replace former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, announcing the appointment on Friday, according to the report.
The position places Zacharia at the center of the administration’s communications with journalists and the public, including briefings on presidential policies, government decisions and current events.
