Trump’s New Press Secretary Says She Didn’t Pass the Bar Exam

Freshly installed as the White House’s chief spokeswoman, Katie Zacharia is now confronting questions about a central claim in her professional biography: her legal credentials.

Zacharia, who started the job on Monday as press secretary for US President Donald Trump, acknowledged in a Fox News interview that she never passed the bar exam—despite previous statements that she practised law and Trump’s own description of her as an attorney.

“You did not pass the bar exam, correct?” host Sean Hannity asked during the segment aired last night.

“Correct,” Zacharia replied.

Pressed on whether she made a second attempt, she was equally direct.

“I did not,” she said when Hannity asked if she ever took the bar exam a second time.

According to Pepperdine University, Zacharia, 41, earned her law degree there in 2011.

In the United States, a law degree is typically the first step toward becoming a lawyer, but graduates are not permitted to practise law without being admitted to a state bar—a licensing requirement that underpins the profession.

Her disclosures have drawn the attention of Campaign for Accountability, a watchdog group that has filed a complaint with the State Bar of California. The organisation is urging the bar to examine whether Zacharia violated the law by repeatedly portraying herself as a lawyer without holding a licence.

The group said Zacharia described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and identified herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit.

“Ms Zacharia has represented herself as a lawyer repeatedly to buttress her reputation and credibility,” said Michelle Kuppersmith, the group’s executive director.

“The State Bar should investigate whether Ms Zacharia has misled the public about her credentials,” she added.

Zacharia defended her background in a statement to AFP, saying: “I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” but she did not clarify whether she ever held a US law licence.

She also has not stated where—if anywhere—she was admitted to the bar. When reporters asked on Tuesday where she had passed the bar exam, she responded: “When I moved to China.”

The scrutiny has coincided with a closely watched start to her tenure at the podium. On Tuesday, in her first briefing, Zacharia took questions from only three reporters and wrapped up the appearance in under 15 minutes.

Some media commentators and political analysts criticised the performance, though Trump offered a strong endorsement, telling reporters: “I thought she was very good”.