New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said the role “is not about me” in her first remarks after President Donald Trump appointed her to the position.
Zacharia, whose appointment was announced Friday, discussed her new responsibilities Saturday morning during an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend.
“This job is not about me,” the 42-year-old said. “This job is about him and how he wants to communicate to the American people.”
She described Trump as “the most energetic, intense president we have ever seen” and praised his agenda as “the most effective [and] most exciting.”
Zacharia, who also serves as a senior communications adviser for Trump’s Truth Social platform, said she was eager to begin working for the president.
“Whatever it brings—he’s full of surprises—but I’m really excited about it,” she said.
The incoming press secretary also recalled Trump showing her the planned White House ballroom, presenting the project as another example of his effort to “bring back” America’s greatness.
“He is ahead of schedule, under budget, and it’s gonna be amazing,” Zacharia said.
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said the role was “not about me” after President Donald Trump appointed her Friday
Zacharia appeared on Fox News Saturday in one of her first interviews as press secretary
Trump announced on Friday afternoon via Truth Social that Zacharia would succeed Karoline Leavitt. Leavitt announced her departure on August 12 and left the position on August 27, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Trump praised Zacharia as “outstanding” in her work at Truth Social. He also noted that she had served as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, where she remained for six weeks.
She took over from Tricia McLaughlin in February as the public face of Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Her tenure at DHS was brief and surrounded by controversy. Reports claimed she was forced out because of her close relationship with Corey Lewandowski, a DHS adviser to Kristi Noem and her rumored romantic partner.
Zacharia firmly rejected that explanation at the time, saying instead that she stepped down because frequent travel between Washington and her home in California had become too difficult for her family.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Zacharia had “an unblemished record of support” and had been “a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning.”
The president also called Zacharia “a devoted fan and member of MAGA” and said he was confident she would “deliver strong results.”
Following the announcement, Zacharia thanked Trump on Truth Social “for the distinguished privilege” of becoming White House press secretary.
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Trump called Zacharia a “devoted fan and member of MAGA” when he announced her appointment as press secretary on Truth Social
“Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime,” Zacharia wrote.
She said Trump had ‘shown America that we can be great again’ while lavishing praise on his administration.
‘His confidence is a true privilege, and his leadership is a blessing to this country,’ Zacharia added.
‘God bless President Trump, and God bless America,’ she continued.
Trump also said Zacharia had been previously involved in his presidential campaigns, particularly in key swing states.
Zacharia’s naming comes during an important political period ahead of the midterm elections in November.
Zacharia is a lawyer and frequent guest on Fox News and Newsmax. She is known for her unapologetic conservative views and fiercely outspoken personality.
She’s married to Hollywood producer Tyler Zacharia, and the two share four children together.
Zacharia is taking over the White House press secretary role from Karoline Leavitt, whose last day was in August
She first started in politics as a college intern for the Republican National Committee.
She earned her undergraduate degree at Pepperdine’s Seaver College before going on to its Caruso School of Law, then launched a career in corporate and political advocacy.
She worked in the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Bush administration and spent three years in China working as an outside counsel for the World Bank.
Her husband Tyler served as a producer on movies like The Irishman, Countdown, The Starling, The Desperate Hour and Homestead, among others.
While she often flaunts her glamorous endeavors on her Instagram, where she’s racked up more than 42,000 followers, she is fiercely private when it comes to her family life and has kept her kids completely off social media.
In addition, she has been outspoken about the backlash she has faced in the past for supporting Trump.
‘Being in the world of politics, whether directly or adjacent, is BRUTAL and I personally take DAILY heat for it,’ she wrote in an Instagram post in September.
She went on to explain that she tries to ‘keep her family away from the flame,’ but gushed over how ‘proud’ she was of her husband’s work.