Questions Raised Over New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia’s Legal Background

Katie Zacharia took over as White House press secretary this week, and reporters are now asking whether she was ever a licensed attorney.

Katie Zacharia Law Career Under Scrutiny

Zacharia, who started on Monday, has said she practiced law before going into politics, and President Trump has called her an attorney. Reuters said they found no records showing she is registered with any US state bar or the District of Columbia bar. She earned her law degree from Pepperdine University in 2011, and her profile lists work at a Beijing law firm from 2011 to 2013 and as general counsel at Fix California from 2024 to 2025. Fix California’s founder, Ric Grenell, described her as a senior adviser who handled many roles, including leading outside counsel.

Zacharia Response on Bar Admission and China Rules

In a statement, Zacharia said she practiced international transaction law with all the appropriate credentials. Asked at her first briefing where she passed the bar, she answered that it was when she moved to China. Chinese law, however, requires practicing lawyers to be Chinese nationals, and foreign staff can only advise on legal matters. Legal ethics expert Renee Knake Jefferson called the issue a matter of public trust, though she noted a press secretary does not need to be a lawyer.

The scrutiny arrives about three weeks before the midterms. Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt, who left in August, after Trump wanted a spokesperson who could better promote his achievements.