Zacharia was a surprise choice when Trump announced her appointment on October 9 as the successor to Karoline LeavittUS President Donald Trump’s latest White House shake-up has set a new record, with press secretary Katie Zacharia shown the door just five days after taking up the job, according to officials cited by CNN. Her brief tenure ended after a rocky first briefing, mounting questions over her legal credentials and a public vote of no confidence from the president himself.

The White House confirmed on Friday that Zacharia would be “transitioning out” of the role, after Trump publicly suggested she reconsider the job. A Trump adviser told CNN that she would be leaving the White House in the next few days.

Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn before leaving for a rally in Georgia, Trump said he had discussed her future with her earlier in the day. “I told her, ‘I think you’re better off being happy,'” Trump said.

“I said, ‘Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider.’ ’” He added that he had told her, “Katie, do you need this?

I don’t think you need this.” Trump said they would speak again after his return, but acknowledged that the demanding role might not suit her.

Rocky debut and questions over legal credentialsZacharia came under immediate scrutiny after her first White House press briefing on Tuesday. The appearance lasted around 14 minutes, featured just three questions from reporters and was marked by halting remarks as she promoted the president and his achievements.

Trump had introduced Zacharia as an attorney, but reports subsequently highlighted that she had graduated from law school without passing the US bar examination or obtaining the credentials required to practise law. Zacharia was a surprise choice when Trump announced her appointment on October 9 as the successor to Karoline Leavitt, who had served as press secretary during the early months of his second term before leaving the role in August.

Leavitt had established herself as a forceful defender of the administration, setting a high bar for Zacharia, who had comparatively little experience handling the daily demands of the White House briefing room. Shortest stint amid mounting White House challengesZacharia’s departure also comes at a politically difficult time for the administration, with Republicans preparing for potentially challenging midterm elections and the White House facing controversies that have tested party unity.