Katie Zacharia officially began her role as White House press secretary on October 12, 2026, replacing Karoline Leavitt who resigned in August. President Donald Trump praised Zacharia as a loyal MAGA supporter who helped win seven key swing states during his campaign. Her appointment comes alongside scrutiny over past social media posts, revealed by Popular Information, in which Zacharia promoted the debunked Pizzagate and QAnon conspiracy theories and made accusations against political opponents.
Zacharia's appointment and Trump's praise
- ▪President Donald Trump praised Katie Zacharia on Truth Social, stating that she has been with him in spirit from the beginning and will do a fantastic job as White House press secretary
- ▪President Donald Trump highlighted Katie Zacharia's campaign work in seven key swing states, describing her as a loyal MAGA supporter with an unblemished record
- ▪Katie Zacharia filled the White House press secretary position that had been vacant since August 2026, when former press secretary Karoline Leavitt resigned to spend time with her children
- ▪President Donald Trump announced that Katie Zacharia officially began her role as White House press secretary on October 12, 2026, with her first press briefing scheduled for October 13, 2026
Promotion of Pizzagate conspiracy theory
- ▪In September and October 2022, White House press secretary Katie Zacharia posted on Truth Social urging Fox News host Sean Hannity to report on John Podesta and Pizzagate allegations
- ▪A report published by Popular Information on October 11, 2026, revealed that 41-year-old White House press secretary Katie Zacharia previously promoted the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory on social media
Social media posts supporting QAnon claims
- ▪In November 2022, White House press secretary Katie Zacharia responded to a Truth Social post speculating whether Donald Trump drinking bottled water was a coded QAnon signal, replying that she was wondering the same thing about the possible QAnon signal
- ▪In 2022, White House press secretary Katie Zacharia shared a post on Truth Social asserting that Democrats want to mask and rape children as part of a satanic platform
- ▪On September 4, 2022, White House press secretary Katie Zacharia wrote on Truth Social accusing Hollywood elites and Democrats of being pedophiles and cannibals
Zacharia's professional background
- ▪Prior to her appointment as White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia worked as a communications adviser for Trump Media and Technology Group and briefly served as a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson
- ▪Before becoming White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia worked as a conservative commentator, writing for The New York Post and appearing on Fox News and Newsmax
Debatable claims
- ▪Demonstrated campaign loyalty matters more for a White House press secretary than past adherence to mainstream factual standards
- ▪A White House press secretary's primary role is defending the president's political movement rather than informing the general public
- ▪Katie Zacharia's past promotion of conspiracy theories renders her unfit to serve as White House press secretary
- ▪Appointing spokespersons with a history of pushing conspiracy theories damages White House credibility with the press corps
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