Did Trump’s press secretary, Katie Zacharia, lie about bar exam claims during White House debut? Fresh claims emerge as she remains under scrutiny over her credentials

Katie Zacharia, new White House press secretary, has come under heavy scrutiny over her professional credentials and background as she transitioned into her new role. A Wall Street Journal report indicates that she appeared for the California bar exam but failed to clear it.

The fresh claims emerge as Zacharia, who has often described herself as a lawyer, said she passed the bar exam when she “moved to China” while responding to a reporter query regarding her credentials. According to the WSJ, her response came over the sound of Marine One whirring in the background. It is pertinent to note that there was no clarity regarding what she actually intended to say or whether she had finished the sentence.

The outlet further reported that only Chinese citizens are eligible to appear in the country’s National Unified Legal Professional Qualification Examination. President Trump had also referred to Zacharia, an attorney, as he announced on Truth Social that she would be serving as the next White House press secretary.


Amid the fresh claims, no evidence has been presented by her or the White House that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China. She reportedly worked for a large law firm in China years ago. She had worked for Trump’s social media company for only a few months when he announced her appointment as the press secretary. She has worked to establish herself as a commentator for outlets like Fox News and Newsmax.

Zacharia hogged the limelight during her White House debut after independent outlet Popular Information, in its report, claimed that she did not appear to be licensed in any state.

What we know about Katie Zacharia's bar exam status

Citing a person with direct knowledge linked to Zacharia’s bar exam status, the WSJ reported that she sat for the California bar exam after graduating from law school at Pepperdine University in 2011. However, she did not pass the exam.

At the time when she took the exam, she was reportedly planning a wedding and preparing to move to China with her future husband, the person said. They further claimed that she shifted to Beijing during the summer that year to work as an associate on the international practice team at Zhong Lun Law Firm.


Also Read: Cornell gang rape case: Pressure mounts on university President Michael Kotlikoff over lawsuit, faces no confidence motion


Later, she received advice from lawyers that she could provide legal analysis based on her law degree and international transaction experience. She came under fire over her legal credentials. after her name did not appear in searches for licensed attorneys in California, Texas, or Washington, D.C., under her married or maiden name.