White House says Press Secretary Katie Zacharia ‘let go’ from role after 5 days

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia was let go after five days on the job, following a series of blunders including falsely claiming to be a lawyer and making a disparaging remark about China. President Trump said he told her to reconsider the role. The departure is a distraction for Trump as he campaigns ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia was let go from her role after just five days, a White House official said on Friday. The move followed a series of blunders that added to distractions for President Donald Trump. Trump told reporters he had advised Zacharia to reconsider the job, saying, 'I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.' Fox News later reported that Zacharia was 'transitioning' out of the role. Zacharia started the job on Monday and held her debut White House briefing on Tuesday, which lasted less than 15 minutes. She quickly became embroiled in controversy after it emerged that her previous claims to be a lawyer were not true. While she has a law degree, she acknowledged on Thursday that she had failed the bar exam. She also stirred controversy by disparaging China, saying the country 'doesn't even have proper toilets.' The departure is a distraction for Trump as he campaigns ahead of the November 3 congressional midterm elections, with polls predicting losses for Republicans.