President Donald Trump has officially selected Katie Zacharia as his new White House press secretary, ending more than a month of speculation following Karoline Leavitt’s departure from the administration.
Zacharia, 42, is a lawyer, political commentator and mother of four who has built a career spanning government, television and corporate communications.
Trump announced her appointment Friday on Truth Social, praising her previous work with his campaigns and her more recent position at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social.
“It is my Great Honor to have just appointed, as Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia,” Trump wrote, describing her as a longtime supporter of his administration.
Zacharia replaces Leavitt, who stepped down at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children.
In accepting the position, Zacharia called the opportunity the “honor of a lifetime” and acknowledged the responsibility of following her predecessor.
From California to the White House
Zacharia’s professional background extends well beyond her appearances on Fox News, Newsmax and CNN.
She began gaining political experience while attending college, including an internship with the Republican National Committee and work in the White House Office of Political Affairs during the George W. Bush administration.
She graduated from Pepperdine University in 2007 with a degree in political science and government before earning her law degree from the same university in 2011.
Her career also took her overseas. According to the Daily Mail, she spent three years in China working as outside counsel for the World Bank.
More recently, Zacharia became a familiar television commentator, regularly discussing political developments and public policy.
In February 2026, she joined the Department of Homeland Security as a spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary of public affairs.
However, her time at DHS lasted only approximately six weeks, ending in March amid conflicting accounts about the circumstances of her departure.
Reports suggested that her exit involved her professional connections to Corey Lewandowski, an adviser to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Zacharia rejected that explanation, telling Just the News that traveling between Washington, D.C., and California had placed too much strain on her family.
She subsequently joined Trump Media as a senior communications adviser in June.
Her husband has connections to Hollywood
Away from politics, Zacharia shares her life with her husband, Tyler Zacharia, an entertainment and investment executive.
The couple married in 2011 and have four children together: three sons and one daughter.
Tyler’s career began in international private equity and business development in Beijing before he moved into the entertainment industry.
According to Urban Timely, his transition into Hollywood followed an eight-month trip around the world with Katie.
Shortly after returning to the United States, Tyler was approached about managing a film investment fund.
Although he initially lacked experience in film financing, the opportunity eventually led him to meet acclaimed director Martin Scorsese at his New York home.
Tyler went on to work in film production, financing and business operations.
His credits include projects such as Silence, The Irishman, The Starling, The Desperate Hour and Homestead.
The couple also share an educational connection through Pepperdine University, where Tyler earned his MBA in 2016.
Why Zacharia keeps her four children out of the spotlight
Despite her increasingly public career, Zacharia has made a deliberate effort to protect her children’s privacy.
She occasionally shares moments from her professional and personal life on Instagram, where she has attracted more than 42,000 followers, but generally keeps her children away from public attention.
“Being in the world of politics, whether directly or adjacent, is BRUTAL…and I personally take DAILY heat for it. I try to keep my family away from the flame,” she wrote in a September Instagram post.
The mother of four has also spoken about the importance of maintaining her health and fitness alongside her professional responsibilities.
Weightlifting is among her personal interests, while family life remains a priority outside work.
Her decision to keep her children private has been particularly important as her political profile has grown.
A conservative commentator who has faced public controversy
Zacharia has also been outspoken about the criticism she has experienced because of her political views.
In a February essay for the New York Post, she described an incident at a California kickboxing gym after she attended a class wearing a Trump hat.
According to Zacharia, another woman objected to the hat during the workout, and subsequent complaints eventually led the gym owner to ask her not to wear it.
Zacharia criticized the situation as an example of intolerance toward political expression.
“I responded that I would never take my Trump hat off to appease the left,” she wrote.
The incident reflected a broader subject she has frequently discussed publicly: her experiences as a conservative living in California.
Trump welcomes his new press secretary
Zacharia’s appointment comes after several names were discussed as possible replacements for Leavitt.
Among them were White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly and CNN commentator Scott Jennings.
According to CNN, Trump consulted Leavitt before deciding to appoint Zacharia.
In his announcement, the president praised Leavitt’s performance and expressed confidence in her successor.
Zacharia responded by thanking Trump for the opportunity and saying she looked forward to working with journalists covering the administration.
“Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting,” she said.
For Zacharia, the appointment represents a return to the White House nearly two decades after her early experience in the Office of Political Affairs, this time as the administration’s chief public spokesperson.
