White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Admits Failing Bar Exam as Legal Credentials Face Scrutiny

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has acknowledged that she failed the US bar exam, raising questions about her professional credentials after she was appointed to the high-profile role by President Donald Trump.

The 41-year-old has described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media. She also presented herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit, claims that have attracted scrutiny over whether she holds the licence required to practise law.

Zacharia’s legal qualifications came under question after she gave an unclear response when asked where she had passed the bar exam. Although she graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, a law degree alone does not authorise graduates to practise law in the United States.

During an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, Zacharia confirmed that she had not passed the examination. Asked directly whether she had taken the bar exam but failed, she replied, “Yes.” She later confirmed that she had never attempted the examination a second time.

In a separate interview with conservative media outlet Real America’s Voice, Zacharia said she had registered for the exam but was distracted and overwhelmed by plans to relocate to China with her husband. She argued that passing the examination was not a priority because she expected to work in China, where she later gained business law experience at a Beijing law firm. She also said she had four children within six years and had never intended to enter legal practice.

Zacharia maintained that people familiar with the legal profession had told her that her law degree and professional experience allowed her to describe herself as a lawyer. She sought to distinguish her work from formal legal representation, saying she could provide legal analysis but not legal advice. She added that she had been careful about how she presented her qualifications.

The controversy has prompted calls for an investigation. The Campaign for Accountability, a political ethics organisation, urged the California Bar Association on Wednesday to examine the matter. The organisation argued that describing oneself as a lawyer without the required licence could violate California law. However, the reported call for an investigation does not establish that Zacharia has committed an offence.

The scrutiny comes days after Zacharia held her first White House press briefing on Tuesday. The session was unusually brief, with questions taken from only three journalists. She was appointed to succeed Karoline Leavitt, a staunch Trump supporter known for her combative exchanges with reporters, who stepped down in August to care for her young children.