White House press secretary Katie Zacharia held her first news briefing on Oct. 13, 2026, taking the lectern in the James S. Brady Briefing Room as the new White House press secretary.
The White House posted a release saying Zacharia “delivered a commanding inaugural press briefing” and quoted her opening remarks, including, “I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House Press Secretary.”
News coverage from the Associated Press described the appearance as a “very brief turn at the lectern,” noting Zacharia faced reporters for only a short time during her first outing. The AP account said she took reporters’ questions briefly and then left the lectern.
In her remarks the White House release said Zacharia highlighted administration priorities and defended continuing a “New Media Seat” for nontraditional outlets while previewing additional midterm travel stops for the president. The release also quoted Zacharia on the administration’s claim about prescription drug prices and on her family, providing the text of several verbatim lines.
The appointment follows a period of turnover at the White House communications post earlier this year; readers wanting background on the job can consult an explainer on what the press secretary does and why it matters.
The new brief marks the start of Zacharia’s tenure as she settles into the role of White House press secretary amid heightened attention ahead of the midterm elections.
Sources
- AP News — reported that Zacharia “faced reporters for the first time for a very brief turn at the lectern.”
- The White House — published the full text of Zacharia’s inaugural remarks and described the briefing as an inaugural address on Oct. 13, 2026.
