Katie Zacharia’s 14-minute debut Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s press secretary was so bad that there’s speculation about how long she serves in the job.

“Several advisers and officials offered negative reviews of her performance to CNN, with one characterizing it as ‘brutal,’ ” CNN reported. “Others described it as unusual, awkward, stilted and, at times, uncomfortable. … She only called on three reporters for questions before ending the briefing.”

The reporters all represented right-wing organizations: Breitbart, Fox News, and the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail.

Said former San Francisco Chronicle senior political writer Carla Marinucci: “Made sure to sidestep any serious questions on Day One. Not ready for prime time.”

Made sure to sidestep any serious questions on Day One. Not ready for prime time.

— Carla ‘Bluechecked’ Marinucci (@cmarinucci) October 13, 2026

‘She Can Barely Read’

Aaron Rupar is an independent journalist with 1.1 million followers on X and nearly 1 million more on Bluesky. He posted on Bluesky during the briefing that “this is an SNL cold open come to life. She can barely read.” On X, he said, “Katie Zacharia makes Karoline Leavitt seem like Winston Churchill.”

Leavitt, of course, is the former White House press secretary whose allegiance to Trump knew no bounds. She now works  for Fox News.

Zacharia did make news, revealing that the scandal-plagued Kimberly Guilfoyle was asked to resign as U.S. ambassador to Greece.

According to CNN, Trump praised Zacharia after the briefing, telling reporters shortly after, “I thought she was very good.”

She previously served as a communications advisor to the Trump Media and Technology Group. In early 2026, Zacharia was deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security for public affairs for about one month.