Commentator Katie Zacharia picked as new White House press secretary

BySareen Habeshian and Bernd Debusmann, White House reporter. 9 October 2026, 19: 38 BST.

Key points

• Conservative commentator Katie Zacharia has been offered the job of White House press secretary, a White House official confirmed to the BBC.
• This person left the White House in August, has reportedly taken a job with Fox News.
• Zacharia, who at present works as a communication's adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group would become the president's sixth chief spokesperson throughout his two administrations.
• She worked in Homeland Security briefly from February to March this year.
• The secretary additionally oversees an office that receives a significant amount of inquiries and requests on a daily basis.

Zacharia, who at present works as a communication's adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group would become the president's sixth chief spokesperson throughout his two administrations. She previously had a brief stint as a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security.

Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. This person left the White House in August, has reportedly taken a job with Fox News. The BBC has contacted Zacharia for comment.

Zacharia, who often appears as a guest on conservative media programs, has worked for Trump's media firm and his Truth Social platform since June, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Notably, the complex job of press secretary goes beyond the briefing room podium to include managing contentious relationships with the press, coordinating with other parts of the White House, and providing media advice to the president. The secretary additionally oversees an office that receives a significant amount of inquiries and requests on a daily basis.

In short, commentator Katie Zacharia picked as new White House press secretary is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.