Katie Zacharia, recently appointed as press secretary by President Donald Trump, has come under investigation regarding her repeated claims to be a lawyer. When asked during her inaugural briefing on Tuesday to identify the state where she passed the bar exam, Zacharia provided an unclear response referencing China. A subsequent review found no public record of her being licensed to practice law in 38 states, Washington DC, or the Virgin Islands where attorney records are publicly accessible.
Zacharia holds a law degree from Pepperdine University, which she obtained in 2011, but possessing a degree differs from being licensed to practice law. The California State Bar confirmed it has no record of her licensure under any variation of her names. When examined, her LinkedIn profile lists her as general counsel of Fix California, a conservative organization founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell, though she lived in California at the time. Reporting by multiple outlets found no evidence of bar admission in other states where she reportedly worked, including Texas and Washington DC. The White House has not clarified whether Zacharia passed a bar examination anywhere.
In response to the discrepancies, the Campaign for Accountability, a watchdog organization, filed a complaint Wednesday with the California State Bar requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia violated state law by describing herself as a lawyer without licensure. California law stipulates that individuals not licensed to practice law cannot advertise themselves as lawyers, with potential penalties including fines up to $1,000 and up to one year in jail. Legal experts have noted the distinction between holding a law degree and being licensed to practice, with one former White House ethics lawyer characterizing such misrepresentation as potentially a misdemeanor.
Investigations by news organizations have also identified since-deleted social media posts by Zacharia promoting various claims, including complimentary messages toward Elon Musk and commentary on conspiracy-related topics. The White House communications director has characterized her briefing performance as successful, while other officials have responded to the lawyer credentials controversy with public commentary.
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