PoliticsKaroline Leavitt Defends Katie Zacharia After She Gets Fired From Press Secretary Role: 'Very Tough Job'
Karoline Leavitt discussed Katie Zacharia's short tenure as the White House press secretary in a recent interview.
Oct. 24 2026, Published 1:47 p.m. ET
Karoline Leavitt came to the defense of her successor, Katie Zacharia, after the latter was canned from her role as the White House press secretary.
Zacharia, 41, took over the job from Leavitt, 29, and was subsequently fired on October 16 after just five days of work.
Karoline Leavitt Shared Her Take on Katie Zacharia
Katie Zacharia took over the White House press secretary role from Karoline Leavitt earlier this month.
Leavitt shared her thoughts about Zacharia during a recent appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher.
She called the role a "very tough job," adding "it's one of the hardest jobs in Washington."
Karoline Leavitt Served as the White House Press Secretary for Over a Year
Karoline Leavitt said working in the White House is a 'tough job.'
"Only 37 people in history have been the White House press secretary," Leavitt continued.
The Fox News contributor served as president Donald Trump's chief media relations specialist from January 2025 until August 2026.
She decided to take a step back from her duties earlier this summer to spend more time with her two children she shares with husband Nicholas Riccio.
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Karoline Leavitt served under Donald Trump from January 2025 until August 2026.
Leavitt also further discussed Zacharia stepping down from the position in a chat with reporters on Thursday, October 22.
"[Being the] White House press secretary is a tough job,” Leavitt said. “I know that because I did it, obviously, for almost two years, and many people say it’s one of the hardest jobs in politics. It takes a lot of preparation, and sometimes you don’t know how someone will perform until they go out there.”
The role "obviously [was] not for her," the mother of two continued of Zacharia, also adding: "There’s a lot of people who want that job. It’s an amazing job. It provides you with incredible opportunities, and I’ve offered my help to the president to help him select someone who can serve him in the country well.”
Katie Zacharia Was Fired After Just 5 Days on the Job
Katie Zacharia was fired from her role on October 16.
The Pepperdine University graduate held a shocking 14-minute press conference on October 13 where her behavior was widely panned. During the briefing, the political commentator seemed nervous and was unable to answer questions from journalists.
She was swiftly fired three days later, with Trump, 80, telling reporters at the time he asked Zacharia to reassess whether to continue in her role.
"I told her: 'I think you're better off being happy, and I'm not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.' There's nothing easy about this stuff," the POTUS said as he left the White House for a weekend trip away.
He went on: "I said to her honestly, 'If I were you, I'd reconsider... think about it. But I would reconsider.'"
