President Donald Trump reportedly wanted a former Fox News host as his press secretary, but was turned down.
As Katie Zacharia transitions out of the White House press secretary role after just a few days, Axios revealed she was apparently not his first pick to fill Karoline Leavitt’s shoes.
“Before hiring Zacharia, Trump wanted to hire former Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, two administration sources said, but she signaled she was not going to take the job,” the outlet reported. Despite his name being thrown around, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings was not offered the position.
Zacharia shocked X users by suddenly posting that it “was an honor” to work for the president mere days after being announced at the new White House press secretary.
Look:
President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to.
It was an honor to work for him. https://t.co/Tp4NizrhE2
— Katie Zacharia (@KatieZacharia) October 17, 2026
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him,” she wrote.
The short stint immediately sparked rumors, with many people suggesting the controversy over whether or not she’s an “attorney” contributed to the decision. Others believe her lackluster first press conference failed to impress the president, though Zacharia denied being fired from the job. He did, however, encourage her to “reconsider,” he told reporters.
“The news has been so nasty to her. I’ve never seen anything like it, actually. And I said to her, ‘Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider. You think about it, but I would reconsider.'”
A White House spokesperson confirmed that there are no secrets regarding Zacharia’s departure.
“POTUS is a big fan of Katie’s, and what POTUS said to the reporters is exactly what he said in private,” they stated.
As for who will stand behind the podium next, Fox News’ Peter Doocy said that the president is in no rush to fill the position and has no “short list at the moment.”
Watch:
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump tells Peter Doocy he is in “NO RUSH” to name a replacement press secretary
“The gist of it is they haven’t had a press secretary for a couple of weeks since Karoline Leavitt left, and the president thinks things have been going okay. As for potential replacements, there is no short list at the moment.” @pdoocy
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 16, 2026
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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