Katie Zacharia eyes press secretary return despite firing
Katie Zacharia is reportedly auditioning again for White House press secretary after a five-day tenure ended in dismissal last month, according to New York Post sources—while she told TMZ the comeback claims are “utterly fake” and she is not seeking the role. The clash of anonymous tips and her on-the-record denial has made her the latest Washington staffing drama after President Trump’s midterm shake-up left the podium vacant.
The report, published Nov. 9, 2026, says several high-profile advisers believe the former spokeswoman is working to charm Trump and new chief of staff Stephen Miller into a second chance. BlasterPost’s Wealth Hacks & Passive Income desk is tracking the political and career fallout as the White House reshuffles communications talent.
Key Takeaways
- New York Post sources say Katie Zacharia is angling to reclaim the press secretary job she lost after five days.
- Zacharia told TMZ the story is “utterly fake” and that she is “not auditioning for the role.”
- She hosted one 14-minute briefing on Oct. 13 before struggling in follow-up Fox News interviews, per the Post.
- Trump allies quoted by the Post say a return is unlikely; the role remains vacant amid staff changes.
- Other names, including Caroline Sunshine, are also said to be seeking meetings with Trump.
What did New York Post sources actually claim about Katie Zacharia?
According to The New York Post, three sources close to Trump said Zacharia has been working to win over the president and Miller. A tipster familiar with the jockeying said she decided to help anchor Right Side Broadcasting Network’s election-night coverage last Tuesday hoping Trump would see her and decide she was right for the job.
“She said it out loud,” that tipster told the Post. “It’s absurd. Truly embarrassing.” Someone who spoke to her later in the week said she afterward claimed she was only joking about using the RSBN appearance to regain the post.
Other prominent sources told the paper she appears to be repeating the same audition playbook she used the first time—appearing on programs Trump was likely to watch. The Post also reported she was spotted at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend as Trump prepared for more staff changes after replacing Susie Wiles with Miller following congressional Republicans’ landslide election defeat.
One observer said Zacharia was “staring at [Trump] trying to get his attention” Saturday on the Palm Beach club’s patio. A White House official quoted by the Post was blistering: “She never stopped. She’s psychotic. She thinks she did a good job at her one briefing.”
Did Katie Zacharia deny she wants the press secretary job back?
Yes—on the record. Speaking to TMZ on Nov. 9, Zacharia called the comeback report “utterly fake.” She said she maintains “a loyal and great relationship with the President” but insisted anonymous sourcing was spreading “abject lies.”
“Reporters that are complicit in continuing to spread fake news and lies are a big problem and are a part of why people don’t trust the media,” she told TMZ. “I am not auditioning for the role.”
That denial aligns with people close to her cited by the Post. One source said she claims she is “focused on defending free speech and supporting the president’s priorities through other mediums.” Another said, “I am 1,000% certain Katie Zacharia has no interest in going and being the press secretary at the White House.”
The competing narratives leave readers with a classic Washington split: anonymous officials describing an aggressive rehab campaign, versus Zacharia and allies insisting the story is invented.
Why was Katie Zacharia fired after only five days?
TMZ previously reported she was fired Oct. 16 after just five days on the job, following her first and only press briefing that drew widespread criticism. The Post says she hosted a single briefing as press secretary on Oct. 13. That session lasted just 14 minutes, the paper reported.
Trump administration sources told the Post the idea of her returning is farcical after she stumbled at the podium and then struggled in Fox News interviews with Sean Hannity and “Fox & Friends.” Fellow aides were infuriated, the Post said, by her suggestion to Hannity that weak briefing prep by subordinates explained her performance.
One person close to Trump said she will “never go back,” that Trump “thinks she’s a joke,” and that he has been calling her “a train wreck.” One White House official scoffed that a return won’t happen in “a million years.” Administration officials reacted to the alleged comeback talk with a mix of humor and horror, the Post reported.
What else is happening with the vacant press secretary role?
The podium is still open as Trump moves through a post-election staff reset. Beyond Zacharia, the Post said others believed to be putting themselves forward include Caroline Sunshine, a former Disney Channel actress who served in Trump’s first term. A source said Sunshine “keeps calling and trying to get meetings with [Trump].”
Daily Kos, drawing on the Post account, also noted Trump held a press conference with UFC’s Dana White and offered him the press secretary role over the weekend before saying he was only kidding. Zacharia has publicly gushed over Miller and praised his role leading a mass deportation campaign in Trump’s second term, the Post reported, drawing further intrigue into her intentions. Daily Kos framed the episode as an attempt to woo Trump after a brief, criticized tenure—though that outlet’s piece is opinion-heavy and should be read as analysis, not primary reporting.
For now, the only firm on-the-record statement from Zacharia is the TMZ denial. Until the White House fills the job—or Trump or Miller speak publicly about candidates—the Katie Zacharia story remains a sourcing fight between anonymous officials and a former press secretary who says she is not auditioning at all.