Katie Zacharia, the newest White House press secretary, got off to a bumpy debut in her first briefing this week.
Zacharia appeared nervous, stumbled over her words, and abruptly ended the briefing in just 15 minutes. It didn’t inspire confidence in some Republican corners.
“She can’t even speak. This is bad,” one former Republican National Committee member texted the Washington Examiner.
Zacharia is joining the White House at a precarious time for the Trump administration. The president’s approval ratings are at record lows. The American public has soured on the Iran war and the subsequent rise in gas and diesel prices. Republican candidates in battleground races have at times broken with President Donald Trump over his trade policies. The GOP is fearing a November midterm bloodbath.
It is precisely at this moment that Trump needs a tough, battle-tested messenger in his quest to prove he is still a dominant political figure, not a lame duck.
But many Republicans came to her aid, citing the difficulty of the job and her quick ascent to the gig. Trump announced her position and the briefing just last week. Her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, had months to prepare after working on Trump’s 2024 campaign.
“Serving as Press Secretary is one of the most demanding and intense positions bar none,” said former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. “I practiced for my first briefing for weeks and still had a tough first outing. Katie jumped into the briefing room after 24 hours on the job and held her own.”
Several Republicans said that Zacharia can still improve her performance at the podium. It will take more time, familiarity, and confidence on Zacharia’s part. Trump is notorious for judging his employees by their overall performance on-camera.
“Katie, unlike any other of his press secretaries, was really thrown in the thrust of the White House press briefing room,” said former White House spokesman Harrison Fields during a panel that featured a Washington Examiner reporter. “That room takes no hostages. That is a tough place to be. And it was really a baptism by fire.”
Zacharia only took three questions, all from right-leaning outlets, one of which was the new media seat, at the podium, which left little impression that she was ready to handle a packed room of journalists at times hostile to the administration.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it: No, it wasn’t the best,” Fields added. “But I know game two, three, four, and beyond is going to be great. Why? Because she’s a studied individual. She is great. Her tenure has been great. And she’s got a great team and [a] great quarterback in President Trump, who’s always going to make sure that she is successful.”
She was disciplined in her messaging: she touted Trump’s accomplishments, broke the news that the White House had asked for Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation as ambassador to Greece, and then directed the press to Trump’s departure to Alaska. Trump praised her performance as “excellent” and “very good” before he left the White House.
Her next time at the podium will be a critical moment in how she deals with mainstream correspondents peppering her about the midterm elections, Iran, Ukraine, and other relevant news stories.
“One of the first things we tell clients at my [public relations] firm is that you don’t have to answer every question, but you do need to control the message,” said Mor Greenberg, founder of the Mor Media Group. “Know your three key points before walking into a room, anticipate the toughest questions, and don’t be afraid to bridge back to what matters. The best spokespeople aren’t necessarily the ones with the quickest comeback. They’re the ones who can stay composed, be authentic, and make sure their message lands.”
A standout moment for Zacharia came as she discussed balancing being a wife and mother to four children with her new job.
“There’s something refreshing about a woman unapologetically saying her children come first while stepping into one of the most demanding jobs in Washington,” said Greenberg. “Ambition and motherhood aren’t mutually exclusive, and it’s a message worth celebrating.”
As a former Trump campaign spokeswoman, Leavitt had pre-existing relationships with many members of the White House Correspondents Association, relationships Zacharia will need to foster to understand better what questions the media may lob her way.
Beverly Hallberg, founder and president of District Media Group and a veteran media coach, offered multiple points of improvement for Zacharia’s future press briefing, from not relying “too heavily” on her notes to “stop speaking too slowly, which only makes her shaky voice more noticeable.”
“Katie Zacharia should have made eye contact with the press for at least the first sentence before looking down at notes,” Halburg suggested.
WASHINGTON SECRETS: KATIE ZACHARIA’S FIRST BRIEFING WAS A NERVY SMASH-AND-GRAB RAID
Leavitt set a high bar and is a tough act to follow, but Zacharia still needs space to carve out her communication style. Leavitt was known for her willingness to fight with the press on camera in defense of Trump.
“My advice to Zacharia would be to slow down, get comfortable with the room, and find her own voice rather than trying to replicate her predecessor’s style,” said Greenberg. “Confidence comes with preparation and repetition.”
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
