Zacharia, who graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011, previously defended calling herself a lawyer by saying legal scholars she consulted agreed the term was appropriate and that her 2011 California bar exam failure was "somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn't need the bar in China." Searches across all 50 US states and Washington, D.C. found no record of a law license for Zacharia, even though President Donald Trump introduced her as "an attorney" and her LinkedIn profile listed roles as a general counsel in California and an associate at Beijing law firm Zhong Lun, where a partner said her job was likely "similar to a paid internship."
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Two Nonprofits File Legal Practice Complaints Against White House Press Secretary Zacharia as 15 'Attorney' Posts Surface
US Politics5 days ago
Two nonprofit groups filed formal complaints against new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, alleging that she may have misrepresented her legal background and urging an investigation into whether she provided unlicensed legal advice, the Washington Post reported. Separately, CNN found that Zacharia shared at least 15 social media posts over the past two years identifying her as an "attorney," despite having failed the California bar exam and publicly acknowledging that she had been advised she could call herself a "lawyer" rather than an "attorney."
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