White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has admitted that she never passed the bar exam, raising questions about her legal background following her appointment as one of the key voices representing US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Zacharia made the revelation during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, October 15, after facing scrutiny over her professional qualifications.
During the interview, Hannity directly asked whether she had failed the bar exam. She confirmed that she had not passed it and also disclosed that she did not take the examination for a second time.
Her admission has drawn attention because Zacharia previously described herself as someone who had practised law before moving into politics. Trump has also referred to her as an attorney.
According to information from Pepperdine University, Zacharia earned her law degree in 2011. However, obtaining a law degree does not automatically qualify someone to practise law in the United States. Graduates must also meet the requirements for admission to a state bar.
Criticism Follows Her First White House Press Briefing
The revelation comes just days after Zacharia made her debut as White House press secretary.
During her first press briefing on Tuesday, she answered questions from only three reporters before bringing the session to an end in less than 15 minutes.
Her performance attracted criticism from some media commentators and political analysts, who questioned how she handled the briefing.
However, Trump defended her performance, telling reporters that he thought she had done very well.
Speaking about the experience during her interview with Hannity, Zacharia said she had accepted the challenge despite having little time to prepare.
She explained that stepping forward to conduct the press briefing was something she had to do, even with the limited preparation time available to her.
Her admission about the bar exam, combined with the criticism surrounding her first press briefing, has placed renewed attention on her background and her new role in the White House.
