Katie Zacharia Faces Backlash Over Misleading Claims as Lawyer

WHO:

Deadline - Katie Zacharia, White House Press Secretary

Alternet - President Donald Trump

Alternet - Jonah Goldberg, conservative pundit and Dispatch Editor

Alternet - Scott Jennings, GOP pundit

Alternet - Elie Honig, former prosecutor

Alternet - Katie Pavlich, NewsNation host

Alternet - Brad Wendel, Cornell Law professor

WHAT:

Deadline - Katie Zacharia defended calling herself a lawyer despite not being licensed.

Deadline - Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine Law School in 2011 and failed the California bar exam.

Alternet - Zacharia claimed to have practiced international transaction law and described herself as a lawyer in various interviews.

Alternet - Zacharia stated, "I was very careful how I executed this. I never came across as someone who was an attorney at law."

Alternet - Trump referred to Zacharia as "a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney."

WHERE:

Deadline - Zacharia took the California bar exam in California.

Alternet - Zacharia claimed to have lived in Beijing while working as a corporate lawyer.

WHEN:

Deadline - Zacharia graduated from law school in 2011.

Alternet - Zacharia made claims about her legal background on various dates, including May 15 and October 5.

Alternet - Zacharia appeared on the podcast of Jack Posobiec after failing the bar exam.

WHY:

Alternet - Critics argue that Zacharia's misleading claims about her legal qualifications undermine her credibility in her role as press secretary.

Alternet - Katie Pavlich stated that lying about her resume to secure a job is a significant issue.

HOW:

Alternet - Zacharia consulted with others in the field before labeling herself as a lawyer, claiming they advised her it was acceptable.

(UPDATED October 15, 2026 22:59 UTC)

Katie Zacharia, the White House Press Secretary, has defended her decision to call herself a lawyer despite not being licensed, stating she was careful not to present herself as an attorney at law. Critics, including NewsNation host Katie Pavlich, argue that her misleading claims about her legal qualifications, which include a graduation from Pepperdine Law School in 2011 and a failed California bar exam, undermine her credibility in her role. Trump has referred to Zacharia as "a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University," while she has claimed to have practiced international transaction law and consulted with others in the field who advised her it was acceptable to label herself as a lawyer.