White House Press Secretary Resigns Just Five Days After Taking Office, Experience in China Sparks Interest

This image shows the United States Capitol located in Washington, D.C. (Li Sha / Dajiyuan).

[People News] Katie Zakaria, the former White House Press Secretary, assumed her role as the 37th Press Secretary on October 12, succeeding Levitt, who resigned at the end of August to spend time with his family and two young children. However, she unexpectedly resigned on October 16, just five days into her tenure, making her the shortest-serving Press Secretary in White House history.

On Friday, U.S. President Trump remarked that Zakaria had been treated "very unfairly" by the media and suggested that she reconsider her decision to take on the role. "I told her, 'If I were you, I would think it over again.'" He added, "'Katie, is this the right fit for you? Honestly, you don’t need to endure this kind of hardship..." Trump also stated that he would leave the final decision up to her.

On October 13, the day after Katie Zakaria took office, she held her first press conference. During the initial eight minutes, she nervously read from a script. Following the briefing, her qualifications were put under scrutiny by the media. Her press conference faced criticism and ridicule from CNN reporters and others, including The Atlantic.

In 2024, Zakaria joined the conservative organisation "Restore California" as a legal advisor. However, ABC News previously reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that Zakaria had taken the California bar exam but did not pass. The Wall Street Journal also reported that she had taken the exam in 2011 but failed to pass.

Despite holding a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Pepperdine University, she did not provide a direct answer when reporters inquired about where she passed the Bar Exam. She later acknowledged that she had not passed the Bar Exam, explaining that her legal qualification was obtained in China. However, under Chinese law, foreign nationals are prohibited from practising in court in China.

Radio France Internationale reported, citing an interview with her from Real America's Voice, that Katie Zakaria stated she graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011 and was preparing to move to China with her husband, which led her to regard the Bar Exam results as unimportant. She noted that her husband was employed at an American private equity firm at the time, prompting their relocation to China.

She remarked, "The exam results were somewhat irrelevant because I knew I wouldn't need to use that qualification in China afterwards, and we left shortly after. After moving to China, I didn't pay much attention to the exam results and didn't think it was something I needed to focus on. Later, I secured a position in the international business department of a Chinese law firm."

Public records indicate that Zakaria lived and worked in Beijing starting in 2011, where she served as a legal consultant at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Her primary role involved providing external legal consulting services to the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Additionally, she worked for a global non-profit organisation focused on fundraising and improving the educational environment for migrant children in China.

When responding to media questions, Zakaria mentioned that she was involved in international trade law in China and did not retake the bar exam in the United States after failing it.

Nonetheless, her work experience in China has drawn attention to her legal status at that time and whether the international legal work she referred to complied with local legal practice qualifications in China.

The National Unified Legal Professional Qualification Examination in China has specific eligibility requirements, meaning not all foreigners can take the exam; simply residing in China or holding a foreign law degree does not qualify a foreigner for Chinese legal professional status.

In an interview last Thursday with right-wing internet figure Jack Posobiec, she reflected on her experiences living in China in 2016 and questioned the American narrative at the time that China was poised to surpass the United States. She remarked, 'I just returned from China, and what I was thinking was: How could China become the next rising power? They don't even have decent toilets.'

The following day, during a routine press conference at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a reporter from Agence France-Presse asked spokesperson Mao Ning to comment on Zakaria's statements. Spokesperson Mao Ning expressed her welcome for the opportunity for Zakaria to visit China more frequently.

With just a few weeks remaining until the U.S. midterm elections, the intricate political landscape underscores the significance of the press secretary role. Nevertheless, Trump mentioned in an interview with Fox News on Friday that he is 'not in a hurry' to appoint a new press secretary.
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