Katie Zacharia: Trump's new spokesperson calls herself a lawyer but is not licensed

Katie Zacharia, the newly appointed press secretary for U.S. President Donald Trump, has confirmed she failed the California bar examination in 2011 and did not retake it. She admitted during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that she had not passed the exam and had not attempted it again. Despite this, Zacharia has repeatedly referred to herself as an attorney in approximately 15 social media posts, according to media reports. Zacharia acknowledged during the interview that she had registered for the bar exam but decided against taking it seriously due to her impending move to China with her husband. She stated that the results were not crucial because she knew she would not need a U.S. legal license in China. She claimed she took the exam to avoid giving up on the idea of becoming an attorney. Zacharia, who is married to film producer Tyler Zacharia, studied law at Pepperdine University in California until 2011. According to the Wall Street Journal, she did not pass the bar exam in California, and there is no record of her being licensed in any of the other 49 states. The interview with Hannity was notable given his close association with Trump and his typically pro-Trump stance on Fox News. He questioned Zacharia extensively about her professional credentials, including why she used the title “attorney” in her social media posts despite failing the bar exam. Zacharia defended her actions, stating that many professionals in the field told her she could refer to herself as a lawyer based on her legal education and experience working in a prominent Chinese law firm in Beijing after moving there. She emphasized that she did not claim to be an “attorney at law,” which requires formal licensing, but rather used the term “lawyer,” which can sometimes apply to individuals with legal training. Zacharia's initial appearance as press secretary last Tuesday was marked by several verbal missteps and seemed unprepared. In an interview with the conservative website Human Events, she admitted she was inadequately prepared and briefed for her debut. Critics and some legal experts have pointed out that Zacharia repeatedly identified herself as an attorney despite lacking the necessary licensing. The distinction between the terms “attorney” and “lawyer” in English is significant, as “attorney” specifically requires a legal license, while “lawyer” can sometimes be used more broadly. Zacharia explained that she had enrolled in the bar exam but became distracted and overwhelmed due to her upcoming move to China. She stated that she and her husband decided to take time off and see how things would go, knowing she would not need a U.S. legal license in China. After returning to the United States, she did not retake the exam due to the birth of her first child. She argued that many people in the industry assured her she could still identify as a lawyer based on her legal education and experience in China. However, critics argue that using the title “lawyer” without proper licensing can be misleading and potentially illegal. Zacharia faces scrutiny over her professional qualifications, particularly regarding her use of the title “attorney.” While she maintains that she did not claim to be fully licensed, the controversy continues to draw attention from both supporters and detractors of the Trump administration.