Katie Zacharia, President Trump’s new White House press secretary, was out of the role just five days after starting her term. The former press secretary received significant scrutiny following her first and only press briefing, which lasted just under 15 minutes. Nearly half of this time was spent reading from a script, praising the president for his recent accomplishments. For comparison, her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, held press briefings that typically lasted around 45 minutes.
In addition to her shaky debut, Zacharia’s professional credentials were called into question when she was described as an attorney. She had a law degree from Pepperdine University, which she received in 2011, but had not passed the California bar exam or obtained a license to practice law in another state.
Although the terms “lawyer” and “attorney” are often used interchangeably, having a law degree does not automatically qualify someone to practice law. In the United States, attorneys must meet their state’s licensing requirements, which generally include passing the bar exam. Zacharia later acknowledged that she had failed the California bar exam.
As tumultuous as Zacharia’s brief tenure was, her ...