White House Defends Press Secretary Over Legal Credentials

The Cliff News | 15 October 2026

The White House has stepped in to defend its newly appointed press secretary, Katie Zacharia, following questions raised about her legal credentials. President Donald Trump had described Zacharia as an attorney, and she herself has used the term lawyer to describe her professional background.

These statements have come under scrutiny after Zacharia was asked by a reporter on Tuesday about which state bar exam she had passed to become a licensed attorney in the U.S. She responded by saying, "When I moved to China." Current records do not indicate she is registered with the bar in any state where she has resided.

Questions Surround Legal Qualifications

White House communications director Steven Cheung issued a statement defending Zacharia, calling her "uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people." In response to the growing concerns, Zacharia provided her own statement this week, asserting, "I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials."

However, a watchdog organization, the Campaign for Accountability, has taken further action. On Wednesday, the group filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association. They are requesting an investigation into allegations that Zacharia "repeatedly held herself out to the public as entitled to practise law without a licence to do so, conduct California law treats as a crime."

Background on Zacharia's Law Career

Katie Zacharia, a 42-year-old political strategist, is a graduate of Pepperdine University's law school in California, a fact confirmed by the university. It is important to note that a law degree alone does not grant an individual a license to practice law in the United States.

According to the New York Times, Zacharia stated on Wednesday that when she began appearing on cable news programs, she inquired with Pepperdine University about how she should identify herself. She reported that the university president advised her she could refer to herself as a lawyer, but not as an attorney.

Earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Zacharia took the bar exam in California after completing her law degree but did not pass. The California bar exam is recognized as one of the most challenging in the U.S.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Zacharia undertook the bar exam around the same period she was planning her wedding and preparing to relocate to China with her then-fiancé.