Katie Zacharia has been in the hottest of seats since her debut as the new White House press secretary.
Zacharia, who often refers to herself as a lawyer, drew widespread criticism for her nervous demeanor and appearance when she took the podium on Monday.
Now, accusations about whether she’s an attorney are sweeping the internet and have prompted an investigation by The Wall St. Journal.
“Zacharia sat for the California bar exam after graduating from law school at Pepperdine University in 2011, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, but she didn’t pass,” the Journal stated. “She took the exam around the time she was planning a wedding and preparing to move to China with her future husband, the person said.”
Zacharia has allegedly also referred to herself as an attorney, and on Monday she was questioned when she passed the bar.
“When I moved to China,” she said. “I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.”
Q: You said Zacharia is an attorney. Where did she pass the bar exam? What state?
ZACHARIA: When I moved to China https://t.co/LUAk4Vhqgp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2026
President Trump has also reportedly referred to Zacharia as an attorney, and as expected, the media is all over it.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia took the California bar exam but didn’t pass it. Trump has referred to her as an attorney. https://t.co/r5xXp8D8kI
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 15, 2026
The Wall St. Journal took some heat for its selective outrage:
She’s not a candidate for Attorney General. You people suck. Jill Biden wasn’t a “doctor” either and you said nothing. Absolutely nothing. Crawl back in your holes and never emerge again. Thank you. @KatieZacharia
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) October 15, 2026
Did she go to law school? Did she get a law degree? Do you waste as much ink about a Muslim medical school graduate who’s never passed a State Board exam but claims he’s a “doctor”?
— Wahoo McDaniel (@WahooMc) October 15, 2026
There is some gray area when it comes to using the terms lawyer or attorney.
According to Grok, a “lawyer can refer more broadly to someone trained in the law,” while an “attorney specifically refers to someone licensed to practice and represent clients.”
The terms are often used interchangeably, but are considered deceptive when used to portray a perception that is not the reality.
