New White House Press Secretary Admits to Failing Bar Exam

Katie Zacharia, the new White House Press Secretary, admitted on Thursday that she failed the bar exam, which is necessary to practice law in the United States. Her admission comes as her qualifications are under scrutiny.

Zacharia has previously referred to herself as a lawyer during interviews and on social media. She also listed her role as general counsel for a conservative nonprofit in California. However, questions arose about her legal credentials after she gave unclear answers regarding her bar exam status.

During an interview on Fox News, host Sean Hannity asked Zacharia if she had taken the bar exam and failed. She confirmed, saying, “Yes.” In another interview, she explained that she was distracted by plans to move to China with her husband when she registered for the exam. She stated, “The results are somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn’t need the bar in China.”

While foreign nationals cannot take the bar exam in China, they can still perform some legal work at Chinese firms. Zacharia mentioned that she did not attempt the bar exam again, citing her busy life with four children in six years and stating that practicing law was never her goal.

She also claimed that many in her field assured her she could call herself a lawyer due to her law degree and experience in business law from her time at a Beijing law firm. However, she clarified that she could provide legal analysis, not legal advice, and emphasized that she was careful in how she presented herself.

The Campaign for Accountability, a political ethics group, has called for an investigation by the California Bar Association. They stated that in California, it is illegal to call oneself a lawyer without a license.

Zacharia held her first press briefing on Tuesday, which was notably short, taking questions from only three journalists. She replaced Karoline Leavitt, who resigned in August to focus on her young children.