Politics
Donald Trump’s newly appointed press secretary Katie Zacharias appears to have told her first big lie.
Published on October 15, 2026, 3:13 pm ET
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Newly appointed White House press secretary Katie Zakaria is facing criticism over her questionable legal credentials after reports emerged that she described herself as a lawyer despite failing the bar exam.
When President Donald Trump announced his appointment on October 9, he pointedly described him as “a lawyer”.
However, investigative reporting and a review of public records found no evidence that he has a license to practice law anywhere in the United States.
The controversy intensified after his first official White House briefing on Tuesday, October 13 was labeled a “trainwreck” by critics, leading to a formal ethics complaint and questions about the validity of his professional claims.
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no records found
While Donald Trump even called his new press secretary a ‘lawyer’, evidence contradicts his claim
Sources familiar with the matter gave this information wall street journal That Zacharias took the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011, but did not pass.
Journalists and researchers who reviewed attorney registration records in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. found no record of his admission to the practice of law.
freelance journalist root legum An MS Now appearance on Wednesday, October 14 detailed his investigation, showing that Zakaria does not have a license to practice law anywhere in the United States and calling his claims seriously lacking credibility.
Legum, who told the story on his investigative site popular informationnoted that when he reached out to the White House with a detailed request for comment and proof of his license, the administration failed to provide any evidence.
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When confronted by the media that Zakaria may have lied about passing the bar, WH pointed to Trump’s Truth Social posts to deflect attention.
Instead, they simply sent him back to Trump’s Truth Social post. Legum said that while a law degree is not required to become White House press secretary, she fabricated a professional title, and major flaws in her resume were missed or ignored in the White House vetting process.
Despite not being licensed, the 41-year-old mother of four describes herself as a “lawyer” on her public Instagram profile and has also referred to herself as such at past public and professional events.
When reporters on the White House South Lawn directly asked Trump and Zakaria in which U.S. state he passed the bar exam, he replied, “When I went to China,” without specifying any jurisdiction.
Legal experts and journalists were quick to note that foreign nationals are strictly prohibited from taking China’s bar exams or practicing Chinese law.
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Katie Zakaria worked in China
Trump has a new scam on his hands.
His LinkedIn profile shows that he worked as an associate at the Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013.
While foreign nationals can perform international transaction analysis in Chinese firms, it does not grant them a license or equivalent US attorney status.
Sida LiuA law professor at the University of Hong Kong who specializes in mainland law told new York Times Individuals in Zakaria’s position are not practicing Chinese law and their role at the firm “would likely have been similar to a paid internship.”
In response to feedback, Zachariah “I practice international transaction law with all the appropriate credentials,” he told The Associated Press.
Not everyone is so convinced. On October 14, the public accountability nonprofit Campaign for Accountability filed an official ethics complaint with the State Bar of California.
His first press briefing was widely criticized
“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough said White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wills, were shocked by Zakaria’s fabrications.
Under California law, representing yourself as an authorized, practicing attorney without active State Bar membership is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail.
The evidentiary outcome comes after a widely criticized 14-minute first briefing, in which Zakaria relied heavily on prepared notes, took questions from only three outlets and mistakenly referred to Trump as her husband.
POTUS, who reportedly overlooked his chief of staff Susie Wills to choose Zakaria, publicly praised her debut, saying, “He thought she was great.”
Despite slow praise, which in the morning Host Joe Scarborough said the White House had been “blindsided” by Zakaria’s fabrications, adding, “And now I can’t even repeat some of the things they’re saying about this decision. But inside the White House they are furious.”