Karoline Leavitt joked that her successor, Katie Zacharia, met the same fate as contestants on Donald Trump’s hit reality show The Apprentice during a Friday conversation with Bill Maher.
The former White House press secretary was asked by the HBO host whether she had any advice for Zacharia, whose time in the role lasted less than a week.
“I mean, the President did have a hit show called The Apprentice, where he’s known for moving on from people,” Leavitt said. “So hey, it’s in his nature to do that type of thing, I guess.”
Maher then joked that he hoped “I’m not next” after making his second visit to the White House to dine with Trump, adding, “I still have some things I wanna say.”
Leavitt expressed sympathy for Zacharia, who faced harsh reviews following her first—and only—White House press briefing.
“It’s a tough job, it’s a very tough job. People say it’s one of the hardest jobs in Washington,” Leavitt said. “I give anyone who steps up to that podium credit, because only 37 people in history have been the White House press secretary.”
Even so, Leavitt said she ultimately supported Trump’s decision to remove Zacharia from the position within a week.
“That pressure in that room is enormous, the press are vicious, and I give her credit for standing up there,” she said. “As the President said, it wasn’t a good fit. That’s okay. I wish her well; we’re onto the next.”
Karoline Leavitt (pictured) joked that her successor, Katie Zacharia, suffered the same fate as contestants on Donald Trump’s famous reality show The Apprentice during a Friday conversation with Bill Maher
The former White House press secretary was asked by the HBO host whether she had any advice for Zacharia (pictured), who lasted less than a week in her former role
Leavitt, who spent the first 18 months of Trump’s second term battling with the media, said the White House press secretary position should be highly sought after.
“It’s a great job, it’s a fun job and there’s a lot of qualified people who want it,” she said.
Earlier in the week, Leavitt acknowledged in an interview with Fox News, her future employer, that “the job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well.”
Maher, who is liberal-leaning, also pressed Leavitt on the extent of her loyalty to Trump. In response, she described the early encouragement she received from the President.
“My relationship with the President—obviously he was my boss, but to me he’s also a friend. He gave me the opportunity of a lifetime,” she said.
Leavitt said Trump had acknowledged to her directly that some people had advised him against appointing her as White House press secretary, a role that made her the youngest person to hold the position at the time.
“Honey, lots of people said you were too young, and I told them I was building buildings in Manhattan when I was your age and you can do it,” she recalled. “I am very grateful for the opportunity and indebted to him.”
The remarks came after Zacharia’s tenure ended only days after she first stepped behind the White House briefing-room podium, where she delivered a shaky performance.
The former press secretary, who spent the first 18 months of Trump’s second term battling with the media, said the White House role should be highly sought after
Maher joked that he hoped “I’m not next” to be fired after his second White House dinner with Trump, adding, “I still have some things I wanna say”
Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment on October 9, after first contacting her about the role on October 7.
She officially began the job on October 12 and faced reporters for the first time the following day.
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Her debut briefing lasted just 14 minutes, with questions from only three reporters.
Trump subsequently praised her performance, telling reporters: ‘I thought she did excellent. She did very good.’
But the appointment quickly became a talking point, with questions raised about Zacharia’s limited preparation time and her experience handling the White House press corps.
Zacharia also faced questions over her legal credentials after it was brought to light that she had failed California’s bar exam in 2011.
She then moved to Beijing with her husband and worked at a Chinese law firm.
Despite never passing the bar exam, Zacharia frequently appeared on news channels as a legal analyst, offering commentary on legal and political issues while identifying herself as a lawyer.
‘The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well,’ former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said about her successor, Katie Zacharia
Trump announced Leavitt’s appointment on November 15, 2024, while he was still president-elect. She didn’t deliver her first White House press briefing until January 28, 2025, giving her more than two months between the announcement and her debut
Zacharia’s rocky debut was followed by an uncomfortable appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show on October 15, just hours before she was pushed out of the job the following day.
Hannity delivered a notably tough grilling, confronting her over her widely criticized briefing, pressing her on why she had repeatedly described herself as a lawyer despite failing the California bar exam.
He challenged her explanation for the short briefing, asking: ‘Why only three questions in 14 minutes?’ before warning her that the White House briefing room would ‘never be a friendly room to you.’
Zacharia defended herself by blaming the whirlwind hiring process and lack of preparation time, but the combative interview added to the scrutiny surrounding her brief tenure.
As Leavitt reflects upon her first briefing, the lack of preparation on Zacharia’s end gave her a major disadvantage.
Trump announced Leavitt’s appointment on November 15, 2024, while he was still president-elect.
She didn’t deliver her first White House press briefing until January 28, 2025, giving her more than two months between the announcement and her debut.
Leavitt, who was 27 when she took the job, became the youngest White House press secretary in history.
Her first briefing lasted around 46 minutes, during which she took questions on the administration’s agenda and media access.
Leavitt announced her departure from the role on August 12, attributing the decision to wanting to spend more time with her growing family.
Trump praised Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides and said he understood her decision to spend more time with her family.
She also agreed to remain an outside adviser to the president.
Now, however, Leavitt is preparing for a return to the national spotlight.
Fox News announced on October 5 that she would join the network as an on-air contributor, providing political analysis and commentary across its platforms beginning November 1.