White House Press Secretary Admits Bar Exam Failure Amid China Toilet Remarks

Katie Zacharia, who became White House Press Secretary on October 12, 2026, acknowledged in a Fox News interview on October 15 that she did not pass the California bar exam and has not attempted to retake it. The 41-year-old graduated from Pepperdine University Law School in 2011 but moved to China shortly after with her husband, where she worked as a lawyer at a Chinese law firm without requiring U.S. licensure. She explained that bar certification was not a priority given her upcoming marriage and relocation abroad.

Zacharia's legal credentials have drawn sustained public scrutiny since her appointment. President Trump described her as a "lawyer," but during her first White House briefing on October 13, when asked which state she had passed the bar exam in, she initially deflected by saying "when I moved to China." In subsequent interviews, she clarified that while she holds a Juris Doctor degree and has international transactional law experience, she has not obtained bar admission in any U.S. state or jurisdiction. She stated that legal professionals advised her she could use the title "lawyer" based on her education and experience, but recommended against using "attorney-at-law."

A separate controversy emerged when Zacharia recalled in an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec that during her time in China around 2016, she doubted China could become a rising superpower partly because "they didn't even have decent toilets." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning responded on October 16 with a measured invitation, saying: "We welcome her to visit China more often if she has the opportunity." The remark contrasted with President Trump's warm diplomatic posture toward China, including recent mutual visits with President Xi Jinping and planned additional meetings by year-end.

Zacharia's first White House briefing on October 13 lasted approximately 14 minutes, during which she read from prepared remarks with halting delivery and took questions from only three journalists. She attributed the brevity to limited preparation time. During the briefing, she made a verbal slip, accidentally referring to Trump as her husband while discussing balancing work and raising four children, which she quickly corrected. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended her credentials, stating she possessed "unique qualifications for the position" and was "quick-minded."