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Scott Jennings passed over as Katie Zacharia picked for press secretary

newsOct 9, 2026303,015

President Donald Trump announced on October 9, 2026, that he has selected conservative commentator Katie Zacharia as the next White House press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August after maternity leave. Zacharia currently serves as a communications adviser at Trump Media and Technology Group, has appeared frequently on Fox News and Newsmax, and previously worked as a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security for Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump praised Zacharia on Truth Social for “an unblemished record of support” and called her “a devoted fan and member of MAGA.” Zacharia wrote on X that the appointment was “the honor of a lifetime” and vowed to “[communicate] to the American people the major wins” of the administration; the start date for her role has not been announced. The Trump White House has not held a formal press briefing in 36 days, since Vice President J.D. Vance spoke in early September. Scott Jennings was not chosen for the post; Leavitt has joined Fox News as an on-air contributor effective November 1.

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