White House official calls Katie Zacharia’s first press briefing brutal: news

White House Officials React to Katie Zacharia’s First Press Briefing

White House officials and political observers have reportedly characterized newly appointed Press Secretary Katie Zacharia’s debut press briefing as “brutal,” awkward, and stilted following a rocky performance in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

Zacharia, who stepped into the role following the departure of Karoline Leavitt, faced immediate scrutiny from reporters and political commentators alike. During the briefing, she made major administration headlines by announcing that the White House had requested the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, amid misconduct allegations.

However, the session drew sharp critique from inside the administration and across media circles after a series of visible missteps. Zacharia stumbled during personal remarksbriefly misspeaking and referring to her husband as “my president”before abruptly wrapping up the briefing after taking only a limited slate of questions. She defended the early conclusion by noting that President Donald Trump would soon be taking press questions directly on the South Lawn prior to his departure on Marine One for an official trip to Alaska.

While some administration advisers privately expressed dismay at the delivery and voiced comparisons to the polished tenure of her predecessor, allies noted that transitioning from cable news appearances to the high-pressure White House briefing podium involves a steep learning curve, suggesting the president is likely to give her room to adjust in the role.