Trump press secretary Katie Zachariah leaves after five days

Katie Zachariah has left the White House press secretary role after five days in the job, according to reports and remarks from President Donald Trump. The New York Times, quoted by other outlets, said three people close to the matter described her as fired. Fox News first reported that she was transitioning out. There was no formal announcement at the time of some broadcasts, but Trump told reporters he had advised her to reconsider.

Her exit followed a bruising first and only press briefing on Tuesday. She appeared nervous and underprepared, read from a prepared script and finished after about 14 minutes. That was the shortest briefing reporters could remember. She took questions from only three journalists, all from right-leaning outlets. She faced easy questions about balancing the job with family life. Her two substantive answers were mixed. She said the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, would step down after the department asked her to resign. On whether the US had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, she said she did not know and would get back to reporters.

She also made a slip during the briefing, saying 'my president, excuse me, my husband'. Clips of the moment were widely shared. One report described her delivery as a painful Freudian slip.

Questions over her legal credentials then grew. Trump had described her as an attorney. In a later interview, Sean Hannity asked her whether she had taken the bar exam but not passed it. She replied: 'Yes, Sean.' Trump was later asked where she had passed the bar exam. He said she had told him China. That claim was challenged, because an American cannot sit a bar exam in China. Reports said she had claimed to have passed the exam. The White House communications director, Steven Cheung, posted that she would be remembered as a lawyer. One broadcast said there were inquiries into whether a crime had been committed.

Trump framed the departure as a mutual decision. Before boarding Marine One, he said: 'Katie's been treated very badly by the media. Very, very badly. Very unfairly, I think.' He added: 'I said, Katie, is this for you? ... I said to her, honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider.' He said she told him the job was 'a lot tougher', and he replied: 'Welcome to the world of Trump.' Asked whether he would keep her, he said: 'I'm going to let her make that distinction.'

With five days in the post, Zachariah becomes the shortest-serving White House press secretary. Anthony Scaramucci lasted 11 days as communications director in Trump's first term. He said records were made to be broken, but that he took no pleasure in other people's pain. Jonathan Daniels served about 19 days as press secretary until Franklin Roosevelt's death in 1945, though he stayed on under Harry Truman for another month. Sean Spicer lasted 182 days. Stephen Early served about 12 years.

Her appointment came together quickly. A Guardian reporter said she was called to Washington on 7 October, flew out the next day and was offered the job last week. She started on Monday and gave the briefing on Tuesday. She had never held a job that required daily engagement with the press in the way the role demands. She said her briefing schedule was unknown and that she followed the president's lead.

The exit adds to a difficult stretch for the White House before the midterm elections. Trump was campaigning in Georgia. One report noted that three other minor officials had stood down or been fired in recent days. A poll put Trump's approval at 36% and disapproval at 64%. Commentators linked the moment to wider problems, including tariffs, Iran, immigration, inflation and fuel prices. Trump and his allies blamed the media for the treatment of Zachariah. Critics said the appointment showed a lack of due diligence.