Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia breaks silence after getting torched

National PoliticsPresident Donald Trump walks out along with White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to talk to reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)AP Photo/Manuel Balce CenetaWhite House press secretary Katie Zacharia is standing by her performance after her first short briefing has drawn mockery online.Zacharia made an appearance in front of reporters on Tuesday, days after President Donald Trump announced she would be replacing Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down from the role in August to spend more time with her family.The briefing lasted around 15 minutes, with Zacharia largely reading from prepared remarks to tout the president’s agenda and rallies ahead of the midterm elections. She took just three questions from Fox News, Breitbart and the Daily Mail, before quickly wrapping up, saying that Trump would answer more questions later in the day before he departed for Alaska.A number of Trump’s critics immediately poked fun at her first time behind the lectern, including former White House press secretaries, while anonymous White House officials have told some news outlets that they are unsure how she will handle the demanding job due to her rocky debut.Meanwhile, allies and supporters of the president have insisted that she simply needs more time to adjust, and members of the administration, such as White House communications director Steven Cheung, have posted on social media in support of her.Zacharia has now weighed in on the feedback, telling Newsweek in a statement: “I am grateful to serve President Trump as Press Secretary, and I will diligently and effectively amplify his successful agenda.”While speaking to reporters after the briefing, Trump offered an initial assessment of her, saying that he “thought she was very good.”A senior administration official told The Wall Street Journal that Zacharia had less than 24 hours to prepare, receiving her briefing materials only that morning. She was also juggling a move to Washington after the president announced Friday she would take over the position.The New York Post separately reported that Trump had personally prepared her and urged her to appear in front of reporters quickly.Zacharia was a senior communications adviser to Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social. She also served as a deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security.She appeared frequently as a guest on Fox News, Fox Business and Newsmax.Rachel Cohen covers national politics as a reporter for Advance Local, focusing on President Donald Trump's second term and Congress. She previously worked as a trending political reporter for NJ.com. Her work...