Trump’s new press secretary Katie Zacharia is already causing backlash on her first day

The new White House press secretary is raising eyebrows after making a surprising debut on the podium on Tuesday.

Katie Zacharia, described as a conservative activist and commentator by the press, has officially replaced Karoline Leavitt in the role after she resigned in August.

Zacharia spoke to the press for the first time on Tuesday (13 October) but her first day on the job has led to a wave of criticism for her delivery, apparent nerves, a lack of eye contact and an unusual tone.

The short briefing began with opening remarks praising the ‘energetic president’ and claiming that ‘attendance is at record highs’ at his rallies.

“I am so honoured to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House press secretary,” Zacharia began. “I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time. I'm looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the middle of the midterm blitz, with energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms, thanks to President Trump.”

Later in her opening remarks, Zacharia claimed: “Everyday Americans are showing up in droves to attend these rallies because of President Trump's America First agenda of lower taxes, higher wages, and one of my favourites, secure borders.

She added that Trump is planning to hold rallies in Alaska, Arizona and Montana—where she’ll join him—as well as Georgia.

Katie Zacharia's debut has not been well received (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Zacharia said the upcoming rallies will be, 'building off of the incredible momentum generated over the last several days from his stops in Tennessee, New York, Texas and Nebraska'.

She continued: “He is an energetic president. Attendance is at record highs as enthusiastic, hardworking Americans are lining up and packing arenas to support President Trump and Republicans.”

However, The Guardian reports that there have been ‘plenty of empty seats at Trump’s rallies this time around’.

The briefing continued with a list of Trump’s accomplishments. Critics have said she came across as ‘detached’ and took only three questions and left the podium after 14 minutes. Clips have gone viral, with one person on X writing: "This is so painful to watch."

"It's like something out of Anchorman," another critic suggested.

While a third person quipped: "Wait until the SNL skit on Saturday."

“I am going to end it because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska,” she said at the end of the briefing.

There are also questions surrounding her background and legal credentials. He has reportedly described herself as a lawyer and when reporters asked on Tuesday where she passed a bar exam, she replied, “When I moved to China,” without providing the jurisdiction. The surprising remark came after her first White House press screening.

The briefing lasted only 14 minutes (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

According to her LinkedIn page, she worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing between 2011 to 2013, the South China Morning Post reports.

Zacharia is from California and she previously worked for the Trump Media and Technology Group as a communications adviser, according to her LinkedIn page. She also spent time working at the Department of Homeland Security as a spokesperson.

She has been married to film producer Tyler Zacharia since 2011 and together they share four children.

Ahead of Zacharia’s first press conference on Tuesday, Donald Trump posted a lengthy message of support on Truth Social. “Katie is a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax. She was previously involved in my Campaigns, assisting in key Swing States, where we won 7 out of 7. She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA."

The President added: “I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration.”

An official statement from the White House described the briefing positively, praising Zacharia's debut and highlighting her mentions of the administration's record and the announcement of additional campaign stops.

"Today, Katie Zacharia delivered a commanding inaugural press briefing as the 37th White House Press Secretary," the statement begins. "The briefing, which generated wall-to-wall coverage, served as a strong introduction to her tenure and highlighted the Trump Administration’s record of delivering historic successes for the American people."