In brief
President Trump rang in Katie Zacharia as an attorney, but she has not passed a state bar exam and is not licensed to practice law in the US. The White House has stood by her, calling her uniquely qualified, while watchdog groups question her claims. Zacharia’s background includes work in China and international transactions, yet her legal titles remain unverified. A complaint has been filed with the California Bar to investigate her credentials. The situation raises questions about transparency and qualifications for senior White House roles.
White House defends new press secretary amid questions about her legal credentials
The White House defends its new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, as she faces scrutiny over her legal credentials.
President Donald Trump described Zacharia as an attorney in announcing her appointment last week, and she has referred to herself as a lawyer.
When a reporter asked which state’s bar exam she had passed, Zacharia answered, “When I moved to China,” implying she was not licensed in the United States.
She does not appear to be registered to the bar in any state where she has lived, yet White House Communications Director Steven Cheung called her “uniquely qualified” and “whip‑smart.”
In a statement she defended her qualifications, saying she practiced international transaction law with “all the appropriate credentials.”
The Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association, seeking an investigation into whether Zacharia repeatedly presented herself as licensed to practise law without a license, a potential violation of California law.
The 42‑year‑old political strategist earned her J.D. from Pepperdine University in 2011, but the university confirmed she did not pass the California bar exam.
A law degree is not a licence to practise law in the United States. Zacharia reportedly asked Pepperdine’s president how she should identify herself when she first appeared on cable news, and she was advised she could call herself a lawyer, but not an attorney.
She moved to Beijing on her husband’s private‑equity assignment, where she worked on “international transaction law” and served as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm from 2011 to 2013.
In 2025 she claimed, on a conservative radio show, that she had acted as outside counsel for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank while in China; these institutions were invited to comment but have not yet responded.
Zacharia also served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative non‑profit started by Trump ally Ric Grenell, according to her LinkedIn profile.
