Katie Zacharia Just Tried To Blame 'The Media' For Her Ouster As Press Secretary—And Was Hit With An Instant Reality Check

Katie Zacharia, who lasted just five days as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary, was hit with an instant reality check after claiming in a Newsmax interview that "the media" is responsible for her ouster.

Zacharia opened her debut briefing earlier this month with eight minutes of remarks lauding the "energetic president." She also asserted that "attendance is at record highs" at his rallies before presenting favorable figures on wage growth, prescription drug costs, employment, and energy production.

But when she stepped out, it quickly became apparent that Zacharia was unpolished, stumbling over her written remarks and struggling to read her own notes. Critics piled on and Zacharia was fired mere days later.

When Newsmax anchor Rob Schmitt asked her to explain why she thinks "this didn't work out," Zacharia responded:

“Listen, the media does not like outsiders, and Washington, D.C., does not like outsiders."

"And what I would briefly say is that the media and all of Washington made it very difficult for me to do the job I set out to do, which is to amplify the wins and historic record-setting precedent that President Trump has set, especially ahead of the most consequential midterms."

“They would not let me do my job, which was to focus on him and focus on what he’s doing to win and it became too amassed over me."

You can hear what she said in the video below.

Zacharia is completely downplaying how unprepared and unqualified she was for the job.

Consider her first briefing: At one point, she repeated the words "to build" while highlighting the Trump administration's plans "to build eight large-scale nuclear power plants, something we've needed as the United States and something President Trump promised on the campaign trail and something President Trump delivers on, just like he delivers on every promise."

She paused and tripped over her words as she looked down at her notes, struggling to share the administration's plans "to sell fuel to our allies." At another point, she looked flustered as she praised Trump for "a historic one-day war," a "booming economy," and "a great relationship with Venezuela."

Grinning awkwardly during a moment that journalist Aaron Rupar described as "an SNL cold open come to life," she said she was ready to take reporters' questions now that she and they are "officially part of this incredible journey together."

Even worse is the fact that she presented herself as a "lawyer" and claimed to have passed the bar in China, which is not possible.

No one was buying her explanation.

The White House has not named Zacharia's successor but several names—including White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly—are already being considered. Cheung attracted attention this week for suggesting rapper Nicki Minaj will be the next press secretary after filming a conversation he had with her on Air Force One.

Despite the fact she only served in the position for five days—Zacharia has the distinction of being the shortest-serving White House press secretary in U.S. history—Zacharia now lists the position in her bio on X.