Watch: Here's the 'Tough' Hannity Interview That Led to Katie Zacharia's Departure
President Donald Trump alluded to a “tough” interview with Sean Hannity Friday as perhaps the last straw for his new — and now former — press secretary.
Katie Zacharia was reportedly “transitioning out” of her job as Karoline Leavitt’s replacement Friday, just one week after Trump had announced her appointment to the post.
Trump blamed her treatment by the media for the quick ouster, specifically mentioning Thursday’s interview on Fox’s “Hannity.”
.@POTUS: “@KatieZacharia has been treated very badly by the media — very, very badly. Very unfairly.” https://t.co/DUx6f2ZCMb
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2026
“I would say the fake news, but just generally, the media’s been very rough,” Trump told a swarm of reporters. “She was on Sean Hannity last night, and Sean was a little bit tough,” Trump said in a video posted to social media platform X earlier Friday.
Indeed, Zacharia did not receive the warm welcome many would have expected from Hannity, who is usually considered a conservative stalwart.
Zacharia quickly found herself answering pointed questions about her education and job history.
Hannity noted widespread criticism of Zacharia’s first news conference Tuesday — an event that lasted only 14 minutes, with the new secretary taking only three questions.
Then he began quizzing her about working in the legal field.
Zacharia, a California native, attended Pepperdine University for her undergraduate degree and law school where she earned her Juris Doctor.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia responds to critics questioning her legal background https://t.co/rRi62u4s1U
— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) October 16, 2026
The Fox News host cited media reports that she did not pass the bar exam nor attempt to retake it.
“You took the bar exam, but you didn’t pass the bar exam, correct?” he asked.
“Yes, Sean,” she told him.
“Did you ever take it a second time?” he shot back.
Zacharia explained she did not, saying she had gotten married and moved to China, where her bar exam status would not be impacting her ability to work.
Hannity pressed the issue. “I know that part of the story; you did do all of that. Did you ever take the bar exam a second time?”
Zacharia acknowledged that she did not.
“You said you consulted with many people, and they advised you that it was OK to call yourself a lawyer, but not an attorney, correct?” he asked. She confirmed that was the case.
“There’s a report out tonight that showed 15 social media posts where you identified yourself as an attorney,” Hannity pointed out.
The host was likely referring to a report published by Popular Information on that topic.
Zacharia brushed off his concerns, saying those were “retweets” — reposts — that she had corrected regarding her title, but Hannity kept pursuing the matter.
“Why not just say, ‘I went to Pepperdine law school and then took a different career path, and I took the bar once, and didn’t pass it?’ Why get into this long, drawn-out definition between the difference between a lawyer and an attorney?”
She kept giving information about her work history and the label of “lawyer” before Hannity decided to pivot.
Shortly after Trump’s comments to the media Friday about Zacharia’s treatment by Hannity and other journalists, her ouster was confirmed.
The New York Times reported that several sources said she had been fired.
USA Today said her brief tenure set something of a record: “Her five-day stint means that she didn’t last half the 11 days Anthony Scaramucci worked as White House communications director during Trump’s first term before he was fired.”
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