President Donald Trump has tapped conservative commentator Katie Zacharia to serve as White House press secretary, several US outlets report. She replaces Karoline Leavitt, who left at the end of August.
An Army report found electric-shock gloves produced severe pain and immediate compliance in a training exercise. Records indicate Immigration and Customs Enforcement proceeded with a multimillion-dollar purchase despite those findings.
3 sources
Christa Pike survived a failed execution in Tennessee and is now moving around her hospital room and able to walk, her legal team told the BBC. The case has renewed scrutiny of capital punishment procedures.
Published 11 Oct 2026
President Donald Trump has selected conservative commentator Katie Zacharia to be the next White House press secretary, multiple US news organisations reported on Friday.
Zacharia is currently a communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the BBC and other outlets said. The move will make her the administration’s principal spokesperson to the news media.
Zacharia is set to replace Karoline Leavitt, who departed the post at the end of August after the birth of her second child, according to reporting by the Guardian and other outlets. Leavitt had served as press secretary earlier this year.
President Trump described Zacharia using the phrase "a devoted fan," the Guardian and Al Jazeera reported. CBS News said the president expressed confidence that Zacharia would achieve strong results in the role.
News organisations including NBC News and CBS reported that Zacharia was expected to be formally named to the position. The reports describe her as a conservative commentator and note her ties to Trump-aligned media operations.
The press secretary is the administration’s primary channel to explain policies and answer reporters’ questions about the president’s agenda. Bringing in a commentator from media tied to Mr. Trump underscores the close relationship between the administration and outlets associated with his communications network.
Zacharia’s appointment continues a pattern of relatively rapid turnover in the White House communications office. Her predecessor left earlier this autumn, and the selection of a high-profile media figure signals the White House’s emphasis on messaging discipline as it heads into future political and policy fights.
When outlets differ on additional details or include commentary, those items have been attributed to the specific reporters and networks. No official White House announcement text was included in the reports reviewed for this story.
Further developments, including a formal swearing-in or details of Zacharia’s initial responsibilities, were not reported by all outlets at the time of publication.
This story was written from reports by these outlets. Read the originals:
3 sources
A Nashville judge has ordered officials to preserve evidence tied to the failed execution of Christa Pike. Pike regained consciousness after the attempt; her lawyers say she remains unwell.
3 sources
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the scheduled execution of Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood, Texas, and Pentagon officials confirmed the event will be broadcast live, the first military execution in decades, according to reports.
4 sources
