President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, faced a brutal reception Tuesday after her first briefing, with critics mocking her halting delivery and comparing her debut to a “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
Zacharia, who replaced Karoline Leavitt, stumbled through prepared remarks and appeared visibly nervous during the roughly 14-minute briefing, taking questions from just three reporters. Journalist Aaron Rupar offered a particularly cutting assessment on X: “Katie Zacharia makes Karoline Leavitt seem like Winston Churchill.”
Former Biden White House press secretary and MS NOW host Jen Psaki called the briefing an SNL skit, adding that she would have more to say on her show Tuesday night. Republican strategist and Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell was similarly incredulous, comparing the scene to something from Tina Fey’s imagination.
Sports radio host Henry Lake also predicted that Zacharia’s tenure could provide plenty of late-night comedy material. “The SNL skits might be legendary,” he wrote.
Political reporter David Weigel, meanwhile, offered an unexpected compliment to Zacharia’s predecessor, writing that Leavitt was good at the job and rarely appeared flustered. Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson offered a more succinct assessment: “Sounds tired already.”
The criticism wasn’t limited to social media. One administration official told MS NOW’s Jake Traylor that Zacharia needed to improve quickly or risk an exceptionally brief tenure, potentially shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s 11 days as White House communications director.
Not everyone was critical, however. Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec defended Zacharia, suggesting the backlash reflected hostility toward conservative women. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet acknowledged that Zacharia appeared nervous but praised her for holding a briefing so soon after taking the job. Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier went further, declaring that she had “completely nailed it.”
Zacharia’s debut also produced a significant news development: She confirmed that the Trump administration had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as U.S. ambassador to Greece amid allegations of misconduct.
