President Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia, has admitted that she failed the US bar examination and never retook it, raising questions about her previous claims of being a lawyer.
The 41-year-old acknowledged failing the examination during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, October 15, 2026, after her legal credentials came under scrutiny following her appointment.When Hannity asked whether she had taken the bar exam but failed, Zacharia replied, “Yes.”
Zacharia, who graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011, has described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media. She also listed herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit.
However, graduating from law school does not automatically qualify someone to practise law in the United States. Lawyers generally need to meet the licensing requirements of the relevant state, including passing the bar examination where required.
In a separate interview with conservative media outlet Real America’s Voice on Thursday, Zacharia explained that she had registered for the examination but became distracted by plans to relocate to China with her husband.
“The results are somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn’t need the bar in China,” she said.
She confirmed that she had never taken the examination a second time.
“I had four kids in six years,” Zacharia said, explaining that practising law had never been her intention.
Zacharia Defends Describing Herself as a Lawyer
The press secretary maintained that people familiar with the legal profession had assured her she could describe herself as a lawyer because of her law degree and professional experience.
She said she had gained experience in business law while working at a law firm in Beijing, China.
Zacharia also sought to distinguish between providing legal analysis and offering legal advice.
She said she could “provide legal analysis, not legal advice,” adding that she had been careful about how she presented her credentials.
Foreign nationals cannot sit China’s bar examination, although they may undertake certain forms of legal work at Chinese law firms.
The controversy has prompted calls for an investigation into Zacharia’s description of her professional qualifications.
