White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia failed the California bar exam in 2011, blaming distractions from her long-distance relationship after scrutiny mounted over her legal credentials following a bumpy debut briefing this week.
The path from a Los Angeles home to the podium on Pennsylvania Avenue took just six days. Last Wednesday, a White House official called Katie Zacharia and asked her to travel to Washington for a meeting. She declined to specify who placed the call. After traveling the following day and meeting officials on Friday, she was offered the job and accepted.
I flew home, packed two bags, said hi to my kids and husband and dogs,
Zacharia said of the whirlwind transition before returning to Washington on Sunday to prepare for her Monday start, according to reporting from The Irish Times.
Katie Zacharia Addresses Bar Exam Result
Questions about Zacharia’s credentials mounted swiftly following her debut briefing on Tuesday, where reporters asked her to name the state where she passed the bar. Her initial reply was When I moved to China,
a response she later told outlets was the result of mishearing the question over the sound of Marine One on the South Lawn.
Hours before a subsequent interview, the Wall Street Journal revealed Zacharia sat for the California bar exam in 2011 after graduating from Pepperdine University’s law school, but did not pass. The State Bar of California confirmed it had no record of her being licensed in the state under her married name or maiden name, Katie Black.
During an interview with Real America’s Voice, Zacharia explained that her long-distance relationship with her husband Tyler contributed to the failing result. Tyler was working for a private equity firm in Beijing while she finished her studies.
I was obviously incredibly distracted and overwhelmed and excited for finally being married to someone who had been long-distance from for at least a year and a half, when you include the engagement.
She added that she had already registered for the test and decided to proceed anyway. And we just said, ‘Let’s take this time and I’ll take the bar and see what happens,’
she recalled, noting that The results are somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn’t need the bar in China.
Defending the Lawyer Title After China Work
Following her graduation, Zacharia moved to China in 2011 and stayed until 2013, working as an associate on the international practice team at the Beijing law firm Zhong Lun, according to her LinkedIn profile. President Donald Trump referred to her as an attorney
when announcing her appointment on Truth Social, praising her as a devoted fan of Maga.
Despite lacking a bar admission, Zacharia defended describing herself as a lawyer. A person familiar with the matter stated she considered the designation valid due to her law degree and international experience, maintaining she used the title after consulting with other legal professionals. The truth is I was very careful how I executed this and I never came across as someone who was an attorney at law,
Zacharia said, adding that she provided legal analysis
rather than giving legal advice.
Independent scrutiny followed. Journalist Judd Legum found no evidence she passed a bar exam or gained admission in any state. The watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability formally asked the State Bar of California to investigate whether her descriptions violated state laws against unlicensed legal practice.
Briefing Schedule Remains Uncertain
Asked about how frequently she intends to hold briefings with reporters, she stated that it was unknown at this time.
