Who is Katie Zacharia, the MAGA commentator chosen by Trump to replace Karoline Leavitt at the White House

The American President Donald Trump has chosen Katie Zacharia, a conservative lawyer and commentator close to the MAGA movement, for the role of spokesperson for the White House, reports CBS News on Friday, citing a U.S. administration official. The appointment was later confirmed by the White House through a post on the X platform. "The position was proposed," stated a White House official anonymously on Friday. The information was also reported by Reuters, which quotes The New York Times, according to which Zacharia's selection was confirmed by two people familiar with the decision. The White House later confirmed her appointment with a post on X, where she took the announcement made by Donald Trump on his social network Truth. Your cookie settings do not allow the display of content in this section. You can update the module cookie settings directly in the browser or here – you need to accept social media cookies. Who is Katie Zacharia Katie Zacharia lives in California and graduated from the University of Pepperdine in Malibu, where she pursued both university studies and the School of Law, according to her LinkedIn profile. Early this year, Zacharia reported in an opinion article published in the New York Post about an incident that occurred in the gym she frequented after wearing a cap inscribed with the slogan "Make America Great Again" (MAGA). According to her account, the owner eventually asked her to stop wearing the cap. "I replied that I will never take off the Trump cap to please the left," wrote Zacharia, denouncing what she called "pure, unfiltered intolerance." She also invoked freedom of speech, arguing that the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States does not provide exceptions for situations where someone's opinions cause discomfort. The First Amendment, however, protects freedom of speech against restrictions imposed by authorities, not against rules established by private businesses. She is also from California, is a lawyer, a specialist in communication and political commentary, known for her appearances on conservative Fox News and Newsmax shows. She briefly held a communications position within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) between February and April 2026, where she served as spokesperson and deputy assistant for public affairs. Zacharia is currently the lead communications advisor at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company that owns the Truth Social platform, used by the American president. CNN reports that Zacharia was involved in Republican politics as early as the George W. Bush administration, when she completed an internship at the Republican National Committee in 2006. Katie Zacharia is set to succeed Karoline Leavitt, who was the spokesperson for the White House at the beginning of Donald Trump's second presidential term. Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child in the spring, left the administration at the end of August to dedicate herself to her family, but has recently been announced as collaborating with Fox News. According to CNN, before proposing the role to Zacharia, Donald Trump consulted with several associates and advisors, including Karoline Leavitt. Editor: M.I.