White House spokesperson draws questions after repeatedly describing herself as an attorney despite no public record of a US bar licence.
Katie Zacharia, the newly appointed White House press secretary under US President Donald Trump, is facing growing scrutiny over her repeated claims to be a lawyer, after investigations found no public record that she has ever been licensed to practise law in any American state.
Zacharia, who assumed the high-profile role earlier this month, has described herself as a lawyer in television appearances, on social media and in professional biographies. President Trump also referred to her as “an attorney” when announcing her appointment. However, multiple reviews of state bar records, including those in California where she resides, have turned up no evidence of an active or past licence under her current or maiden name.
The California State Bar confirmed it has “no record” of Kate Sharon Zacharia or Kate Sharon Black having been licensed to practise law in the state. Similar checks in other jurisdictions where she has lived or worked, including searches covering dozens of states and the District of Columbia, have yielded the same result.
Questions after first briefing:
The issue intensified following Zacharia’s debut press briefing. When a reporter asked where she had passed the bar exam, she replied: “When I moved to China.” She later told outlets she had misheard the question amid the noise of Marine One and thought she was being asked where she went after law school.
Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 2011. A law degree alone does not authorise someone to practise as a lawyer in the United States; admission to a state bar, usually after passing an examination, is required.
According to reports citing people familiar with the matter, Zacharia sat for the California bar exam after graduation but did not pass. She subsequently moved to China, where she worked as an associate at the Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing between 2011 and 2013, focusing on international transactional work. Chinese bar admission is generally restricted to Chinese citizens, and it remains unclear what formal legal credentials she held there.
In a statement released through the White House, Zacharia said: “I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.” The administration has not provided documentation of any bar admission in the United States or China.
Watchdog Accuses White House Spokesperson of Misrepresenting Lawyer Credentials:
On Wednesday, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the State Bar of California. The organisation alleged that Zacharia had repeatedly held herself out as a lawyer without a licence, conduct that California law treats as a potential misdemeanour.
“Ms. Zacharia has represented herself as a lawyer repeatedly to buttress her reputation and credibility as a television legal commentator and now as the White House spokesperson,” said Michelle Kuppersmith, the group’s executive director.
Zacharia’s LinkedIn profile lists her as having served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative advocacy group founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell. She has also appeared frequently as a legal and political commentator on networks including Fox News and Newsmax, often identified on air as a lawyer or attorney.
White House press secretaries are not required to hold a law licence or any specific professional credential. Critics argue, however, that presenting oneself as a licensed attorney when one is not can mislead the public and raise questions about transparency in a senior administration role.
Supporters note that Zacharia’s law degree is verified and that she gained international experience early in her career. The White House has not indicated any change in her position.