US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Katie Zacharia as the new White House press secretary. He wrote about this on Friday, 9 October 2026, on his social network Truth Social.
Zacharia will replace Karoline Leavitt, who left the post in August after the birth of her second child. Leavitt, who became the youngest press secretary in history, is now moving to work at Fox News.
The new press secretary is a conservative commentator and lawyer, 41 years old. Since June she has been working as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company that owns Truth Social. Earlier, in February-March, she briefly held the post of press secretary at the US Department of Homeland Security.
Trump called Zacharia a "loyal and brilliant supporter" with an "impeccable record of support." He noted her participation in election campaigns, including in key "swing" states, where Republicans won seven out of seven.
Zacharia frequently appears on Fox News and Newsmax. She is a mother of four children, a graduate of Pepperdine University and Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, and a resident of California. In the past she worked abroad, including in China.
Trump expressed confidence that Zacharia will "deliver strong results for the country" and will work well with the media, Americans and the administration. She thanked the president, calling the appointment "the honor of a lifetime."
The appointment came less than a month before the midterm elections to Congress. How will this affect the administration's communications strategy ahead of the vote?
Zacharia plans to take up her duties on Monday. The press secretary's post had remained vacant for more than a month.
