Sean Hannity to New Press Secretary Katie Zacharia: You Crashed And Burned In First Briefing, "What Happened?"
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/15/sean_hannity_to_new_press_secretary_katie_zacharia_you_crashed_and_burned_in_first_briefing.html

Sean Hannity was pretty harsh on Katie Zacharia, the president's new press secretary, during an interview Thursday evening, asking about identifying herself as an attorney after failing the bar exam, and only taking three questions at her first briefing:

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: All right. If you're voting in Florida, Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody, and the attorney general is doing a great job as well.

Here with reaction, Katie Zachariah. We'll have more with Matt and Erin straight ahead.

Katie, this is a big interview for you. You had your first moment as press secretary. It's been widely panned. I'm sure you're aware. It only lasted 14 minutes. You took three questions.

Questions about your legal background, calling yourself a lawyer. You went to Pepperdine but did not pass the bar exam, correct?

KATIE ZACHARIAH, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Correct.

SEAN HANNITY: What happened? How did you feel it went personally?

KATIE ZACHARIAH: I want to give some background. It's nice to be here with you and a privilege to be serving as the president's new press secretary.

I was given the offer last Wednesday. I got a phone call last Wednesday. I flew out to D.C. Thursday. I had a meeting on Friday. Offered the job. Flew home to California on Saturday. Flew back to Washington on Sunday. Was asked to start on Monday, Sean, which is Columbus Day, so it's a federal holiday. Have a press briefing at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

So what I feel is I really stepped up to the plate to do the press conference, shaken, with very little prep time. I received briefing materials in the morning of Tuesday.

I went to deliver all of the great results that President Trump is delivering for the American people that are not often spread in the national media. So I took it as an opportunity so people would know what he's doing for Americans and how hard he's working.

And then I delivered some breaking news. I think one of the first press secretaries to deliver staff changes for the administration. I was honored that President Trump trusted me delivering that information.

Then I took several questions. I think it's been mixed, Sean. They have said I only took questions from conservative outlets. However, the Daily Mail is not known to be a conservative outlet or friendly to conservatives, so I do challenge that narrative.

And then, as I should have, I ended the conference. I left, as I believe, given the fact that I had been on the job less than maybe eight hours and had a briefing book in the morning, I feel like I did my very best, Sean, to deliver for the American people that day.

SEAN HANNITY: Am I hearing that you think the staff should have prepped you better?

KATIE ZACHARIAH: Well, I believe that in that time, I could have just given a brief intro and said, "I'm only here to introduce myself. I want to engage with the press corps. I want to build relationships with every single one of you. I've been on the job one day and I now need to-"

Instead of taking questions, probably should have stepped aside.

However, I was able to deliver breaking news, which I do believe was the right thing to do as the press secretary, Sean.

SEAN HANNITY: I saw you were on with Jack Posobiec earlier tonight. You called it a conspiracy theory as it relates to the issue of being a lawyer.

You did go to Pepperdine. It's a good school, no doubt about it. You took the bar exam, but you didn't pass the bar exam, correct?

KATIE ZACHARIAH: Yes, Sean.

SEAN HANNITY: Did you ever take it a second time?

KATIE ZACHARIAH: So for background, I graduated Pepperdine, got married in the same week. We had all intent to move to China.