White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia responded to questions on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, regarding her professional credentials after she and President Donald Trump both referred to her as an "attorney." When asked where she had passed a bar exam, Zacharia replied, "When I moved to China." While she graduated from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law in 2011, record searches by Popular Information have not confirmed her admission to practice law in any U.S. state.
Zacharia’s professional history includes a tenure as an "associate" on the international practice team at the Chinese firm Zhong Lun. She previously told The Buck Sexton Show that she worked as "outside counsel" to the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation during her time in China. Zacharia told Politico that she practiced international transactional law with "all the appropriate credentials." However, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) stated that U.S. state bar exams are not administered in China but rather at designated locations within each U.S. state.
Public records from the State Bar of California do not list her under her current or maiden name. Her LinkedIn profile indicates she served 15 months as general counsel for Fix California. Tax filings show that while she was not paid a salary by the group in 2024, she received $27,367 for fundraising and in-person solicitations.
The press secretary’s background is subject to public scrutiny, and questions have been raised regarding her legal training. Zacharia also currently holds roles as a senior communications adviser for Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, positions she has held since June 2026. She was also recently appointed to the advisory board of NovaRed Mining, which later rebranded to NRED Intelligent Mining Inc. In that role, she is tasked with providing strategic guidance on public affairs and capital markets for copper and gold projects.
The administration described her first briefing on October 13 as "powerful" and "commanding," though the performance was met with questions about her legal history. As of October 13, the White House had not responded to requests for comment regarding her licensure status. No specific court dates or legislative deadlines have been set regarding her credentials.