Alumna Katie Zacharia’s (’07, JD’11) with three of her children during the vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the Amphitheatre on Sept. 11, 2025. Zacharia previously served as as Pepperdine’s director of development for special projects from 2023 to 2025. File photo by Griffin Pilcher
Alumna Katie Zacharia (’07, JD ’11) was fired from her role as White House press secretary Friday, Oct. 16 after just five days, making her tenure the shortest for a White House press secretary in U.S. history, according to the Washington Post.
The decision came after President Donald Trump told reporters earlier Friday that he had asked Zacharia to reconsider her position, according to The New York Times.
In an email sent to the Graphic, Michael Friel, senior director of Communications and Public Relations, said the University is grateful for her service.
“Katie Zacharia is a valued member of the Pepperdine alumni community, and we are grateful for her willingness to serve our country,” Friel wrote in the Oct. 16 email. “We wish Katie and her family well as she considers the next chapter.”
Paul L. Caron, dean of Pepperdine’s Caruso School of Law, did not respond to the Graphic’s request for comment.
Zacharia’s five-day tenure surpassed the previous record for the shortest White House stint, held by former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, who was removed after 11 days in 2017.
Zacharia’s Appointment
Zacharia’s removal marks a stark contrast from earlier in the week, when her appointment to the White House drew praise from across the Pepperdine community.
Zacharia expressed gratitude for the appointment in a post on X, writing, “Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime.”
A double Pepperdine alumna with an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Zacharia interned in the White House during President George W. Bush’s administration while studying law at the then Pepperdine University School of Law.
During her time at Pepperdine, Zacharia also worked as a research assistant to University President Jim Gash (JD ’93), who was a professor of law at the time. In a recent LinkedIn post, Zacharia referred to Gash as her “longtime friend and mentor.”
Alumna Katie Zacharia’s (’07, JD’11) repost of University President Jim Gash’s post on LinkedIn in September 2026. In the post, Zacharia referred to Gash as a “long time friend and mentor.” Screenshot by Marcos Lizarraga
Zacharia’s professional experience includes serving as spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and senior communications advisor at Trump Media & Technology Group. She worked as a political commentator for Fox News and Newsmax. Zacharia also served as Pepperdine’s director of development for special projects from 2023 to 2025, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Zacharia also worked as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative advocacy group committed to pursuing longterm solutions that advance conservative ideas and causes throughout the state, according to the organization’s website. Serving as general counsel in California requires an active license from the State Bar of California — a status Zacharia never held.
She remains a member of the Dean’s Council at the Caruso School of Law, according to the University’s council webpage.
President Jim Gash(second row to the far right) and former White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia(first row to the right) hold lit candles during the vigil on Sept. 11, 2025. Zacharia previously served as a research assistant to Gash, according to her LinkedIn. File photo by Griffin Pilcher
Following her initial appointment, University administration highlighted Zacharia’s ties to Pepperdine.
“Pepperdine is proud to count Katie among our alumni, former colleagues, and friends,” Gash said in an official statement Oct. 9. “As she takes on this significant responsibility, we pray that God will grant her wisdom and courage. We look forward to seeing her use her incredible gifts and extensive experience in service to our nation.”
Caron also congratulated Zacharia on social media, writing in an Oct.9 Instagram post, “I will be praying for Katie as she takes on such an important public service role.”
Zacharia’s Tenure
Zacharia’s five days in office were marked by heavy media criticism regarding her past social media posts and legal credentials.
After her 14-minute debut press briefing Tuesday, Oct. 13, a reporter from The New York Times had asked Zacharia which state she passed the bar exam in. Zacharia said, “When I moved to China.”
In an interview with The New York Times, Zacharia attempted to clarify the remark, explaining that she misheard the reporter over the noise of Marine One and thought she was being asked where she lived after law school.
Zacharia’s past social media activity was also in the spotlight. In a post on X, Zacharia compared mifepristone — a medication commonly used in medical abortions — to Zyklon B, the lethal cyanide-based pesticide used by Nazi Germany in World War II concentration camps, according to PBS News.
The media pressure further increased Thursday, Oct. 15, during an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity,” where host Sean Hannity grilled Zacharia on her legal credentials.
When Hannity asked if she took the bar exam and failed to pass, Zacharia responded, “Correct.”
Addressing her credentials, Zacharia acknowledged taking the California bar exam once in 2011 and failing to pass, explaining that she was not worried about the exam results at the time because she was preparing to move to China with her husband, who she said she married the same week she graduated from law school, to work in international transaction law. Zacharia added that she completed the exam anyway to avoid an incomplete record.
“I sat for it because I didn’t wanna have a withdraw status,” Zacharia said.
Zacharia said a Pepperdine University president previously advised her that she could identify herself as a lawyer on television. Former University President Andrew K. Benton — who served as president from 2000 to 2019 — said that he was not the one who advised her, according to The New York Times. Gash took over as president in 2019.
Anyone with a law degree qualifies as a lawyer, but only those admitted to a state bar may hold the title of attorney, according to the American Bar Association. Zacharia repeatedly referred to herself as an attorney anyway.
Zacharia later said social media posts describing her as an attorney were “retweets” rather than an endorsement of the title. She defended her press debut by noting she received briefing materials only hours before she addressed the national media.
Following reports on her credentials, the nonprofit government watchdog Campaign for Accountability filed a formal complaint with the California bar, requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, according to the organization’s official statement.
Breaking her silence following her firing, Zacharia praised Trump in a post on X Friday evening.
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man,” Zacharia wrote. “I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to.”
She concluded by writing, “It was an honor to work for him.”
This story was copy edited by Lila Rendel.
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Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Contact Marcos Lizarraga via email: marcos.lizarraga@pepperdine.edu
