Sources close to President Trump told The Post that Zacharia has been working to charm him and new chief of staff Stephen Miller into giving her another shot.
Page A233From§Eachthe evening edition — 9 November 2026
Press secretary race narrows to a joke the president walked back and the aide fired after five days.
As it ran on the front
I am going to take the question as asked. The briefing room is open, the president took questions from reporters on Monday, and I would ask that the record show he took them on no notice, standing up, which is more than any schedule required of him.
Start at the end of August, when Karoline Leavitt stepped down to spend more time with her young family. The Washington Examiner's words, and the family part is real. The lectern then went without a head spokesperson from the end of August to the thirteenth of October. That is a gap. It is not a blackout. On the ninth of October the president named Katie Zacharia, and on Tuesday the thirteenth she gave her first briefing at nine-thirty in the morning. It ran under fifteen minutes. Three questions — Fox News, the Daily Mail, Breitbart — each reporter recognized, each question answered. Administration officials complained about the delivery to reporters without putting their names on it, which tells you something about those officials and not about the briefing. Anthony Scaramucci said that same day that the clock was running. He would know. That was a joke. People keep making jokes about this office and then I am the one who has to go out and explain the —…
…(cont) She was let go on the sixteenth, five days from the day she assumed the position, which is three days from that first briefing; the Guardian counts from the appointment, and the appointment is the right place to count from, because the thing that ended it was in the file before she ever reached the podium. On camera that week she acknowledged she had not passed the legal exams. That was the reason. I have said all along the reason was the credential and I stand by the credential, which is exactly why she is now —
Then, three weeks on, the weekend of the seventh and eighth of November, the president announced he had offered the job to his friend, the head of the UFC, and posted an AI-generated video of him behind the briefing room podium with UFC fighters attacking journalists. On Monday the president called the announcement a little fun, said he was only kidding, and explained that he floated it during a very bad press day. Online, people decided he had confused the UFC executive with a former Pentagon spokesperson of the same name. France 24 says there is no evidence of that. The man knows his own friends.
So here is the state of play, from the sixteenth of October to Monday: the lectern unfilled, the president briefing in its place, and the New York Post reporting that the woman who was let go is working to charm him and the new chief of staff, Stephen Miller, into a second look. Which is the system working. The credential is unchanged and the candidate is unchanged, so the only thing that changed is the press day, and if the press day is the qualification then the credential was never the — let me come back to you on that.
“They told us the room was back open on October thirteenth and we got under fifteen minutes and three questions from three outlets that already agree with him. Now the podium sits empty since the sixteenth, the president's joke candidate came with a video of fighters going after reporters, and the woman they fired over a law license is back working the chief of staff — because the license was never the problem, the bad press day was. When the only guy who answers questions is the guy the questions are about, you're not watching a press office, you're watching him pick who gets to ask.”
“Look, nobody said the job was vacant, I said the function was being performed, and Monday the president performed it personally, on camera, which is access. Did I say the firing was about the law exams? That doesn't sound like me — what I said was the standard is unchanged, and the standard is unchanged, she just also happens to be auditioning again. The video was a bit. The press day was real. I'd rather not characterize which one is the hiring criterion.”
Earlier in this story
- Dana White declines Trump's press secretary offer, then boards flight to Washington to discuss it. By Lou · the morning edition, 8 November 2026
- Podium that broke over a bar exam now offered to UFC boss told to bring fighters as aides. By Lou · the evening edition, 7 November 2026
- The predecessor who quit the podium now hires whoever replaces the successor who couldn't hold it five days. By Mort · the morning edition, 22 October 2026
- White House ends forty-day briefing blackout with fourteen minutes, three friendly reporters, and a press secretary who answered "when I moved to China" when asked where she passed the bar; normal briefings resumed Tuesday and concluded Friday. By Chip · the evening edition, 18 October 2026
The receipts
Donald Trump says he was "only kidding" when he announced he had offered his friend and UFC boss Dana White the job of White House press secretary. The president shared an AI-generated video of White behind the briefing room podium and UFC fighters attacking journalists. But the announcement also sparked online speculation that Trump may…
President Donald Trump held an impromptu press briefing with reporters at the White House on Monday, where he conceded that his announcement of UFC president Dana White as the next White House press secretary over the weekend was just “a little fun.” Trump opened the press briefing by stating that the United States, likely, would […]
· ‘She Can Barely Read’: New Trump Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Faceplants in First Briefing from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Who could replace Katie Zacharia as White House press secretary? from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· WATCH LIVE: Katie Zacharia to give first White House press briefing from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Scaramucci replaced by shorter unit of time - a Zacharia from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· White House press secretary out after less than a week from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· Embattled new White House press secretary Zacharia 'let go' from her role from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· Katie Zacharia fired after five days as White House press secretary from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· Katie Zacharia admits she never passed legal exams – video from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announces his intention to resign as White House Press Secretary due to Donald Trump's appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as the White House Communications Direc from the morgue, 21 Jul 2017
· Scaramucci quips about new press secretary Zacharia's tenure: 'The clock is running' from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Who is Katie Zacharia, Trump’s next White House press secretary? from the morgue, 9 Oct 2026
· Russia’s Lavrov blasts US, Western allies as “warmongers’ in fiery UN tirade from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· Russia and China unite against US over Iran and Cuba in UN speeches from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around Cuba from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran. In a Security Council vote, United States only got support from the Dominican from the morgue, 14 Aug 2020
· U.S. Threatens New Economic War on Iran by Targeting China & Tehran's Other Top Trading Partners from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· In Defiant UN Speech, Iranian President Says US and Israel Are the Real Terrorists from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Trump slams reporting on removal of his endorsements from GOP candidate's website from the morgue, 27 Sep 2026
· Donalds removes several Trump mentions from campaign website from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· GOP hopeful removes ‘Pro-Trump’ mention from campaign slogan in deep-red seat from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Where Trump’s 2026 endorsement record stands after primary season from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· U.N. experts say U.S. may have committed war crimes with 2 Iran strikes from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Says 'Big Decision' Coming on Whether to 'Annihilate' Iran from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategy from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costs from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go' from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says farmers are "all just in survival mode" from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says "I can't stay in business" amid rising costs from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie says he’s convinced enough Republicans to pass Epstein Files II discharge petition from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie names Epstein 'coconspirators,' discusses new Epstein files legislation from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Read Thomas Massie’s eight impeachment charges against Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Fake Republican midterm convention site still redirects to Epstein files from the morgue, 7 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision’ coming up on Iran: ‘Do I want to go in and annihilate them’ from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran recently downed at least 2 American drones, officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Big Oil Stocks Surged Due to Iran War—and New Filings Show How President Trump Cashed In from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Live updates: Energy secretary downplays rising gas prices as US, Iran trade strikes from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· U.S. Strike on Iranian School May Have Been War Crime, U.N. Report Says from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Inquiry Finds US Strike on Minab, Iran That Killed 123 Children Was War Crime from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN investigators conclude ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe certain US strikes in Iran were war crimes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Suspects US War Crimes in Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Condemned for 'War Crimes' After Bombing of Wedding Party in Iran from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· US investigating if missile hit Iranian wedding ceremony, killing 4 from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· White House issues explosive response to UN-backed report claiming US committed war crimes against world’s No.1 sponsor of terror, Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Human rights experts: 'Reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes with Iran strikes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Energy Consumers Have Spent $121 Billion Extra Since Trump Launched Iran War: Moody's from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran downed at least 2 American drones in recent days, U.S. officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran: Account of US Air Force colonel's rescue 'fictional' from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Consumer Burden of Trump Iran War Exceeds $100 Billion as Oil Prices Pass $100 a Barrel from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'A Serious and Alarming Threat': US Bombing, Blockade Deepen Iran Medical Crisis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Level in Months as US Faces 'Trump's Reckless Tariffs and War With Iran' from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· U.S. Air Force officer rescued from Iran speaks for the first time to 60 Minutes from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Rep. Thomas Massie forcing vote on Pete Hegseth's impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Did Johnson Just Adjourn Congress for 7 Weeks to Avoid Massie's Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth? from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Massie saying Johnson is sending the House home early to prevent Hegseth impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· ‘You’re Elected to Fight and Kill the Other Side’: How Congress Lost Its Way from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Army combat veteran challenging Mike Lawler calls Hegseth national security 'hazard,' backs impeachment from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary says he 'couldn't serve' in Trump administration from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary: Hegseth's Pentagon 'dysfunctional' from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· House Republicans split over leaving Washington early for campaign trail from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Since 2025, Trump Made More Stock Trades Than All 535 Congress Members Combined from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Fossil Fuel Advertising Contracts Hit Record High as Big Oil Pockets Billions From Iran War from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· 'How are we gonna get through this?' Many Americans are struggling as prices rise from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Trump's Top Oil Stocks Have Made Him Up to $4.4 Million Richer During Iran War: Analysis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'Trump Did It!': At $5.85 a Gallon, Diesel Price Hits All-Time High in US Thanks to War on Iran from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Trump Hammered Over Iran War That Drove Gas Prices Above $4 Per Gallon Every Day in August for First Time Ever from the morgue, 31 Aug 2026
· Warsh under pressure as Fed weighs rate hike from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Inflation held at 3.4% in August in consumer price index, creating tough choice for Warsh Fed from the morgue, 11 Sep 2026
· Warsh indicates Fed could raise rates to cool inflation from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· Key U.S. Bond Rate Near 20-Year High as Oil Prices Keep Climbing from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· 10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007, oil surges above $105 as Fed expected to hike interest rates from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits 14-month high as bond yields keep rising from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits highest mark in over a year from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.