Trump’s New Ex Press Secretary Failed Bar Exam but Called Herself a «Lawyer»

Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, faces a formal complaint after reportedly failing the California bar exam despite repeatedly calling herself a lawyer. On October 14, the watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability asked the State Bar of California to investigate whether she improperly represented her professional qualifications without holding a license to practice law.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Zacharia took the California bar exam in 2011 after graduating from Pepperdine University’s law school but failed to pass. According to a person familiar with the matter, she was preparing for her wedding and a move to China at the time. Her law degree is legitimate, but it does not establish professional licensure.

Before joining the White House, Zacharia was frequently presented as a legal professional on conservative television networks. According to Campaign for Accountability, Fox News identified her as a lawyer during at least 18 appearances beginning in March 2025. She also personally declared «I’m a lawyer» during an October 5 appearance on The Greg Kelly Show.

Trump reinforced those credentials when announcing Zacharia’s appointment on Truth Social, describing her as «a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax.» He also praised her loyalty, calling her a «devoted fan and member of MAGA!»

Questions intensified following Zacharia’s first White House briefing on October 13. As Trump prepared to board Marine One, a journalist asked which state she had passed the bar exam in. Trump allowed Zacharia to answer, and she appeared to respond, «When I moved to China.» The exchange quickly attracted attention because she had not identified an American licensing jurisdiction.

Zacharia subsequently disputed suggestions that she was claiming to have passed a Chinese bar examination. She said the helicopter’s noise prevented her from hearing the reporter correctly, explaining, «I assumed the question was, ‘Where were you after law school?’» She added, «That’s all I could hear over the sound of Marine One.» Her explanation did not establish American licensure.

The State Bar of California confirmed that it had no licensing record for Zacharia under her married or maiden names. Investigations by Reuters, The Washington Post and Popular Information also failed to identify an American jurisdiction where she was admitted to practice. The absence of licensing records, however, does not independently establish that every legal-related position she held was unauthorized.

Campaign for Accountability Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith challenged Zacharia’s professional representations, stating, «In California, calling yourself a lawyer without a license isn’t puffery; it’s a crime.» She urged regulators to determine whether the public had been misled. The complaint requests an investigation, but no violation has been established, and the State Bar has not publicly confirmed opening proceedings.

Responding to questions about her qualifications, Zacharia maintained, «I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.» She previously worked with Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing between 2011 and 2013. Foreign professionals can perform certain advisory functions in China without holding a Chinese attorney’s license, although those activities differ from practicing as a locally licensed lawyer.

Zacharia also served as general counsel at Fix California, an organization founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell. Describing her responsibilities, Grenell said she was «a senior adviser, who did a lot of different roles,» including «leading the outside counsel, who were our lawyers.» His explanation suggested she coordinated licensed attorneys, but did not establish that she personally possessed a law license.

White House communications director Steven Cheung defended Zacharia’s appointment, describing her as «uniquely qualified and whip smart» while dismissing the complaint’s organizers as political opponents. Trump also praised her first briefing, saying, «I thought she was very good.»

Although becoming White House press secretary does not require legal credentials, questions about her previous professional representations remain unresolved, with no regulatory finding announced.