Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary has drawn scrutiny after giving a cryptic answer about where she obtained her legal credentials. Katie Zacharia, 41, a mother of four and longtime guest on conservative news programs, was selected last week to succeed Karoline Leavitt. Since her appointment, questions have mounted over whether she is qualified to describe herself as an attorney. Announcing her selection, Trump called Zacharia “a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax.” However, becoming an attorney in the United States generally requires passing a state bar examination. Zacharia’s name does not appear on the California State Bar’s online database, and newsletter writer Judd Legum said he could not find her in attorney directories for any US state or territory. Legum has also questioned whether describing herself as an attorney could carry legal implications.
Zacharia’s bar exam answer raises questions
The issue came into sharper focus Tuesday afternoon as Trump left the White House. A reporter asked him where Zacharia had passed the bar exam, which is required to practice as an attorney in the United States. “You said she’s an attorney. Where did she pass the bar exam? Which state?” the reporter asked. Trump referred the question to Zacharia, who replied, “When I moved to China,” without offering additional details. Her answer quickly prompted criticism and renewed calls for clarification. Under current US rules, bar examinations are administered in person within the United States.
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Questions surround Zacharia’s bar exam claim
It remains unclear what Zacharia meant by saying she passed the bar exam “in China,” or how that could have occurred under existing regulations. “To be clear, there is zero chance Zacharia took the Chinese bar exam,” Legum wrote on social media, noting that she does not speak Chinese and that only Chinese citizens are eligible to take that examination. Zacharia has previously said she speaks some Mandarin, however. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, she said she would interrupt conversations to practice the language.
Zacharia’s legal career in Beijing
Zacharia spent approximately two to three years living and working in Beijing after graduating from Pepperdine University’s law school. From around August 2011 through June 2014, she worked at Zhong Lun Law Firm, while her husband, Tyler Zacharia, was employed by a private equity firm in the city. “I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” Zacharia said in a statement to the Daily Mail. Her professional background also includes a role as general counsel for the conservative political organization Fix California, according to her LinkedIn profile. She has additionally claimed to have worked as outside counsel for the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation.
