NEWSJimmy Kimmel Brands Katie Zacharia 'Malibu Katie' After White House Debut
Jimmy Kimmel mocked Katie Zacharia after her first White House briefing lasted 14 minutes.
Oct. 18 2026, Updated 12:38 p.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel welcomed Katie Zacharia to the White House briefing room with a nickname, a school-grade assessment and a warning about Natalie Harp.
The new press secretary’s first briefing on October 13 lasted only 14 minutes and included three questions, all from conservative outlets. Hours later, Kimmel opened Jimmy Kimmel Live! by declaring it “the first day of kindergarten” for President Donald Trump’s latest spokesperson.
Meet ‘Malibu Katie’
Jimmy Kimmel called Katie Zacharia 'Malibu Katie' while criticizing her performance as Donald Trump’s press secretary.
“You know, Trump’s been president for quite a long time now. I think it’s been about what? 50, 60 years?” Kimmel said.
“And in order to keep him awake and interested, every six months they bring in a new fawning blonde dolt to add to the rotation,” he continued.
“Things did not get off to a great start for Malibu Katie today,” he said.
Jimmy Kimmel called Katie Zacharia 'Malibu Katie' while criticizing her performance as Donald Trump’s press secretary.
“Her first briefing was brief,” Kimmel said. “It was only 14 minutes long, but even in that short time, she accomplished exactly what she was brought in to do, which is slobber a whole tube of lip gloss all over the president’s behind.”
After playing clips of Zacharia praising Trump and saying she had wanted to work for him “for a very long time,” Kimmel quipped, “And really, that’s all it takes nowadays.”
He then compared her outfit to that of somebody “about to announce pre-boarding on a Delta Airlines flight.”
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Jimmy Kimmel Grades Her Performance
Jimmy Kimmel also mocked Katie Zacharia’s prediction that 'The Odyssey' would fail because it was a 'woke movie.'
“Her reading is good for an 11-year-old,” Kimmel said. “He hired a fourth-grader to be press secretary.”
Kimmel also revisited Zacharia’s earlier public commentary, including her false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and prediction that The Odyssey would fail because it was a “woke movie.”
“Well, that woke movie went on to make $1.8 billion,” he responded. “We got a smart one here.”
'My President' Gaffe Creates Awkward Moment
Katie Zacharia accidentally referred to her husband as 'my president' before correcting herself during the briefing.
Discussing her family during the briefing, Zacharia stumbled over the word “kids” before accidentally referring to her husband as “my president.”
“So my president — or excuse me, my husband, uh, that’s a, that’s a good one,” she said.
“Oops! Somebody’s going to wake up in the middle of the night tonight eye to eye with Natalie Harp clutching a kitchen knife,” Kimmel joked, referring to Trump’s aide.
He finished by addressing questions about Zacharia’s legal background. Asked where she had passed the bar, Zacharia answered, “When I moved to China,” prompting a confused expression from Trump.
“Oh boy,” Kimmel said in Trump’s voice. “Even my press secretary is made in China!”
