White House press secretary Katie Zakaria is facing scrutiny over her prior
legal experience after saying she worked as a lawyer before becoming Trump’s
chief spokesperson; no bar registration was found in any U.S. state or the
District of Columbia. Her LinkedIn lists roles as a legal assistant at Zhong Lun
Law Firm (2011–2013) and as chief legal counsel at Improve California, an
initiative founded by Trump ally Rick Grenell (2024–25). Zakaria said in an
emailed statement she “practiced international transactional law and had all
necessary credentials.” She led her first White House briefing on Tuesday, took
three reporters’ questions, ended the session in under 15 minutes, and drew
criticism from some media commentators and political analysts.