Press secretary defended lawyer title despite never passing US bar
Katie Zacharia has defended calling herself a lawyer despite never passing the US bar exam.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia defended her legal credentials this week. The Wall Street Journal reported she failed to pass the US bar exam.
Zacharia, appointed by President Trump, has described herself as a lawyer on television and social media. Katie Zacharia registered to take the bar but became "distracted and overwhelmed" by plans to move to China with her husband and abandoned the attempt.
Katie Zacharia worked as an associate at a law firm in Beijing for nearly two years. When questioned, Zacharia insisted she had been careful with her language and never claimed to be "an attorney-at-law".
She said she consulted several legal experts to verify the title was accurate. She will not weigh in on legal matters in her White House role.
In California, where she is based, practising law without proper credentials is a misdemeanour.
- Pepperdine University law degree
- Education
- Failed exam
- Bar passage
Why it mattersA press secretary's credibility matters. Claims about professional qualifications that turn out to be incomplete damage trust in official communications.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, though the credibility of the Trump administration's communications matters globally and influences how international outlets assess White House statements.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
