She left Kristi Noem's team after weeks. Now Trump is handing her the White House podium

The most watched lectern in America has been empty for weeks.

On Friday 9 October, Trump filled it. He announced on Truth Social that Katie Zacharia will be the next White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt. He praised her "unblemished record of support."

Zacharia is 41, a lawyer and a mother of four, according to The Daily Beast. Six months ago she left her last government job after only weeks.

Who is Katie Zacharia?

She is a California native who lives in California, CBS News reports. Her LinkedIn says she did both her undergraduate and law degrees at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

She now works as a communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social. She also helped Trump on the campaign trail.

The Daily Beast says she interned at the Republican National Committee, then became its press secretary in 2024. She also worked in the George W. Bush White House's Office of Political Affairs.

Photo: Geraldshields11 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Why was the White House podium empty?

Karoline Leavitt announced on 12 August that she would leave at the end of the month. She said she wanted to be there for her young family. Trump said she would stay on as an outside adviser.

CBS reports the briefing room has not hosted a regular press briefing since 3 September, when Vice President JD Vance took questions.

Names floated for the job included Monica Crowley, Scott Jennings, Jason Miller, Alina Habba and Anna Kelly. Zacharia was not on those lists. The New York Times first reported the offer, according to CBS.

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Leavitt has since landed at Fox News. We followed what she said next in our story on Leavitt after the White House.

Why did she leave Kristi Noem's team after weeks?

In early 2026 Zacharia joined the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary, working under then-secretary Kristi Noem. On 1 April, news broke that she was leaving after about six weeks. The Daily Beast puts her time there at about three months, so the length depends on who is counting.

The Daily Beast reported that she was pushed out because of her closeness to Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee who worked beside Noem. Zacharia denied that. She said the strain of regular travel between California and Washington on her family was the main reason she left.

Noem is no longer DHS secretary. Markwayne Mullin now holds the job. Zacharia's old boss is gone and she is the one walking into the briefing room.

Sources: The Daily Beast, CBS News, Just the News. Dates as reported.

What did she do in Beijing?

This is the detail that surprised people. The Daily Beast says she lived in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. She worked as a corporate lawyer and as a fundraising manager for a group that supports the children of migrant workers.

In 2022 she called on China to "free the Uyghurs," the Daily Beast adds. Many Republicans took a hard line on China, so the story is likely to follow her into the briefing room.

Photo: Cecilybreeding / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

What did Trump and Zacharia say?

Trump called her a loyal supporter from the start and a devoted member of the MAGA movement, CBS reports. He said she has the respect of the media and will work well with it.

Zacharia said serving at "this critical 250-year mark" is the honor of a lifetime. She said she looks forward to working with the White House press corps.

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One report said it was not immediately clear whether she had formally accepted the offer. Other outlets describe her as already named. No start date has been given.

How is she different from Karoline Leavitt?

Leavitt was 28 when she announced her exit, according to the Daily Beast. Zacharia is 41. That is a 13-year gap, and it shows in the résumé.

Zacharia brings a law degree, years as a corporate lawyer in Beijing and time inside a Bush White House, the Daily Beast reports.

Both are mothers. Leavitt left to focus on her young family. Zacharia has four children and has said the strain of travel on her family was the main reason she left DHS.

Leavitt is moving on to Fox News as a contributor from 1 November, so the woman who held the podium and the woman who takes it next could both be on American TV screens within weeks.

Why does the timing matter?

The Daily Beast notes that Trump's approval rating has hit record lows. The pick comes weeks before the midterm elections.

A press secretary does more than read answers. She is the person who stands in front of the cameras on the worst days. Zacharia takes that job with the podium cold, the midterms close and her own DHS exit still being asked about.

What is the one question reporters will ask first?

The briefing room has sat silent since 3 September. When Katie Zacharia finally steps up to that lectern, a room full of reporters will be waiting.

Will they ask about Beijing, about Noem, or about Lewandowski? Whatever she says first will set the tone for everything after.