President Trump appoints Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary
President Donald Trump announced Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, that Katie Zacharia will serve as the new White House press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt.
Two White House officials confirmed the appointment to Fox News Digital, and the White House later released a supercut video of Zacharia’s remarks through Townhall.com.
Zacharia is a former Department of Homeland Security spokesperson who briefly served as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs after the departure of Tricia McLaughlin. She is currently senior communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the president’s Truth Social platform. Her LinkedIn profile lists her as a senior communications adviser to the group since June.
President Trump praised Zacharia on Truth Social, writing, "It is my Great Honor to have just appointed, as Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia. She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA! I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration."
Zacharia responded on X, thanking the president for the "distinguished privilege" of serving in the role and pledging to communicate the administration’s accomplishments to the public.
Karoline Leavitt, who became the youngest press secretary in history when she took the post in 2025, left the White House at the end of August after giving birth to her second child. She is slated to begin a contributor role at Fox News on Nov. 1.
Zacharia’s background includes frequent appearances on conservative outlets such as Fox News, Newsmax, and OANN, a law degree from Pepperdine University and its Caruso School of Law, and prior work on Trump’s 2024 campaign and in the Bush administration’s Office of Public Affairs. She also serves as a board member for Fix California, a nonprofit focused on election integrity.
The appointment comes as the administration gears up for the 2026 midterm elections, with the White House rotating senior officials to handle briefings while Leavitt was on maternity leave.
Observers note that Zacharia will be the seventh consecutive woman to hold the press secretary position, and that her close ties to the president’s media platform could shape the administration’s messaging strategy in the weeks ahead.
