Katie Zacharia held the job as White House press secretary for just five days. And it seems someone close in President Donald Trump’s circle might have been behind the short tenure.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles helped set up the Fox News appearance on Thursday night, in which Zacharia struggled to answer the questions asked, Politico reports. And then, just a few hours later, she was ousted on Friday.
The interview with Sean Hannity focused on her first press briefing, while also calling into question her legal background.
A source who spoke with Politico called the appearance a “sanctioned hit” on Zacharia, adding that she was not Wiles’ choice for the role of press secretary.
“[White House spokesperson] Danielle [Alvarez] and Susie fed her to Hannity,” another source told the outlet. “
White House Responds To Reports About Susie Wiles
White House communications director Steven Cheung shared a statement, calling the reports coming out about Wiles “breathless speculation.”
“All of this breathless speculation is just that— speculation. And it’s fiction that’s not even creative,” Cheung said. “Katie took on a very important job, and she will continue to support the President as she transitions to a new role. She is an amazing teammate and tremendous talent.”
A FOX News insider also denied the reports that it was a “hit” on Zacharia, telling Politico that it was “clear by the end of this week that she did herself in with her own performance. If you can’t answer simple questions about your credentials, that speaks volumes.”
FOX News media also released a statement, saying that Hannity makes the decision about who he interviews and the questions asked.
“That’s been true for three decades, through several administrations, and that authenticity is why he’s been number one for nearly 30 years. Wiles and Alvarez had nothing to do with the booking.”
Katie Zacharia Never Passed The Bar
During her short time as press secretary, there was also considerable controversy over whether she is an attorney. During the interview with Hannity, she confirmed she never passed the bar exam.
“Correct,” Zacharia replied. “For background, I graduated Pepperdine, got married in the same week, and we had all intent to move out to China. I had already pre-registered for the bar exam … I knew I would be living in China, and the results of the bar exam were inconsequential, and I sat for it because I didn’t want to have a withdraw status. And then I moved over to China, where I did get a job in an international practice of a Chinese law firm…”
Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Behind ‘Sanctioned Hit’ On Former Press Secretary Katie Zacharia: REPORT