Oct. 12, 2026
Trump Chooses Another Female, Fox News-Approved Press Secretary
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RSS Feed 41-year-old Katie Zacharia will hold her first press conference this week, as President Trump’s new press secretary. Zacharia succeeds Karoline Leavitt who left her position in August after briefly returning from maternity leave, and who has since joined Fox News as an analyst. Zachariah had been a communications adviser to Trump Media and Technology Group, which runs Trump’s Truth Social site. She’s also been a frequent guest on Fox News and Newsman and briefly worked as spokesperson for former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump, describing her as a “fan” and a MAGA supporter, Zacharia joins a long and growing list of female press secretaries under President Trump.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Monday, October 12th, and officially the first day on the job for the new White House press secretary. Want to know a little bit about her? Might not be surprised to know that Fox News is on her resume. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Well, you're just a pipeline, ain't it?
00:00:23
Speaker 2: It is.
00:00:23
Speaker 1: It's just a pipeline.
00:00:24
Speaker 3: They're coming and they're going. Yes, Kellyanne. Sorry, not Kellyanne. That's hilarious. Well, she's on Fox News all the time as well.
00:00:32
Speaker 2: But Carolyn Leavitt was who I meant to say, has gone from the press secretary to Fox News. And yes, this new Katie Zachariah, I want to make sure I say her name right. Katie Zachariah has been a frequent commentator on Fox News and other conservative-leaning broadcasts. And yes, now she is coming to the press secretary role. So they're just kind of swapping out. Pete Hegseth became the Department of Defense. He came from Fox News. But there's a big pipeline there between Fox News and the White House or the Trump administration.
00:01:08
Speaker 1: All these websites right now, Indeed.com, all these things where you can find people's resumes. If you're at the White House looking for an employee, you go to Fox News. If you're at Fox News and you need a good host, a new host, go to the White House. Rose, this is kind of... Nothing's wrong. Nothing's illegal, necessarily. It's synergy.
00:01:31
Speaker 3: It's synergy, babe.
00:01:33
Speaker 1: It is. Babe, this is how it's done. If you want to learn a lesson in getting your message and having your messengers in line... Broke. I'm not saying I like it, but they are doing it well. This is some messaging for your ass.
00:01:49
Speaker 3: Well, they're dipping from the same wells, basically.
00:01:52
Speaker 1: So you got people walking around the Fox News newsroom who know exactly what it's like working in the White House and vice versa. Right.
00:01:58
Speaker 3: This is unheard of.
00:01:59
Speaker 1: This is incredible to me.
00:02:01
Speaker 3: Typically, let's just be honest.
00:02:02
Speaker 2: We can speak to this from a journalist's standpoint and certainly folks who have worked in the traditional media and network news, but also working in D.C.
00:02:14
Speaker 3: As well.
00:02:14
Speaker 2: There has always been a separation. Now, granted, George Stephanopoulos, who we worked alongside for many, many, many, many years, obviously was the press secretary there. to bill clinton but that dogged him and still dogs him now even in terms of his how he's viewed in terms of his impartiality his credibility it's all come into question but now that used to be this controversial thing now it's standard operating procedure because.
00:02:40
Speaker 1: They're all on the same mindset over at fox you're never going to get questioned at fox for being you're not being an objective journalists because you used to work at the white house fool i work at fox It's all the same stuff, right? You're not going to get that pushback and that blowback. Now, if somebody worked at, what, Fox News or the White House, and then they tried to work at what? ABC or NBC, that might be a different situation.
00:03:06
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:03:07
Speaker 1: About their bias.
00:03:08
Speaker 3: It would be very interesting, to say the least.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: But yes, here is what we know about your new, our new press secretary.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: She's 41 years old.
00:03:18
Speaker 2: She was briefly, actually, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson for Kristi Noem.
00:03:24
Speaker 1: How long did that last?
00:03:25
Speaker 3: Not very.
00:03:26
Speaker 1: It was very short.
00:03:27
Speaker 3: It was described as a brief stint.
00:03:29
Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. so not too long, but she is an advisor to Trump media. And basically that means she has been a part of the truth social posts that we've been seeing over the past. That's, I think that's the thing that's always, well, it's part of what is disturbing to me, because if you haven't checked out the president's true social account, you should at least once a week. But even if you did it daily or over the weekend in some free time, You would learn a lot about our president, but I would actually even say about the people behind the president, about the people who are actually doing this posting, encouraging him or at least offering him options to put up. She is a part of that team who advises him and is a part of.
00:04:11
Speaker 1: His true social. I wasn't that familiar with the organization. It's called Trump Media, but they are the company behind Trump. his Truth Social. It's hard to keep his world in line here.
00:04:25
Speaker 2: Trump Media and Technology Group is the full name of the company that she's been working with and for.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: And they are the ones who are over Truth Social and whatever else. Bro, this is so weird. I think about it now. This is a former employee of his in his personal business who is now the spokesperson for the United States of America.
00:04:47
Speaker 2: The problem is, look, anytime you have a president and they, for whatever political affiliation they represent, they're going to put their people obviously in place in terms of cabinet positions and certainly press secretary. So we understand that they're there to basically toe the party line and certainly toe the president's line. It's her job to communicate what the president is saying. or wants us to learn or know. But when you just see all of these intersections where she's so heavily embedded in his personal life and his personal business, in his professional business outside of being president, it does get a little sticky.
00:05:32
Speaker 1: But he's got his people. He's got his loyalists, and this loyalist to the president happens to be someone that is the spokesman for the United States of America. This is the most visible member of any administration because they're out there every single day talking to, well, supposed to be out there talking to that press room. This person is the spokesperson for the U.S. She is, well, she's supposed to be our spokesperson, but it feels, and it can feel a lot of times, that person is there strictly just doing the bidding and Well, that's.
00:06:13
Speaker 2: Absolutely what's taken place most often in the press room. We do have the president's post about her to give you his perspective on who he has just hired, who is officially taken over today. It is my great honor to have just appointed as press secretary Katie Zachariah. Katie currently serves as senior communications advisor to Truth Social, where she has been outstanding, a native of California. Katie previously served as spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. Katie is a distinguished graduate of Pepperdine University and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent commentator on outlets including Fox News and Newsmax.
00:06:56
Speaker 3: She was previously involved in.
00:06:58
Speaker 2: My campaigns assisting in key swing states where we won seven out of seven. She has an unblemished record of support and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter right.
00:07:07
Speaker 3: From the beginning.
00:07:09
Speaker 2: She is likewise a devoted fan.
00:07:12
Speaker 3: And member of MAGA. That line really stood out to me. I continue, or he continues, I am.
00:07:17
Speaker 2: Confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our country as the next White House press secretary, as she has the respect of and will work fantastically with the media, the American people, and my administration. Katie is replacing the fabulous Caroline Leavitt, who did a fantastic job as press secretary.
00:07:34
Speaker 3: Good luck, Katie.
00:07:35
Speaker 1: Go back to the part you had a problem with, or stood out to you, I shouldn't have said that. she is likewise a devoted fan.
00:07:44
Speaker 3: That's a problem for me.
00:07:46
Speaker 2: Why? To describe our press secretary, a, by the way, a member, a paid member of our government, our taxpayer dollars go to pay for her salary, and she is there to be a spokesperson for the White House.
00:07:59
Speaker 3: But to describe her as a devoted fan, I find that to be disturbing.
00:08:05
Speaker 2: That that's a qualification in which he puts... Like that is a part of what he wants. And just proudly talking of her as a fan, it diminishes her as a person.
00:08:16
Speaker 3: I feel like she's a mouthpiece.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: She's just a pretty thing to look at who will say what I want her to say because she's a fan of mine.
00:08:23
Speaker 1: I didn't take it that way initially. But yes, you're right. It sounds, it's offensive. It's almost an insult to her. Like, your qualification for this job is that you will do my bidding. Not because you're smart. He listed her accomplishments.
00:08:35
Speaker 3: She is smart and accomplished.
00:08:37
Speaker 1: But yeah, she is a devoted fan and member of MAGA. That was a signal to his people that she's one of us. It's okay. You can like her. You can trust her. You can support her. Because I've signed on.
00:08:46
Speaker 2: And I've already seen so many comments on X and other places where... are already predicting that the liberal media will hate her because she's beautiful and smart and all the unattractive liberal females who are members of the mainstream media will look at her with jealousy.
00:09:04
Speaker 3: I've already seen this.
00:09:05
Speaker 2: They're already anticipating any sort of animosity or any sort of adversarial role that the press may take with the press secretary, which, by the way, is historic.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: It's happened in every presidency.
00:09:17
Speaker 2: They're already trying to label other women as being jealous of her being beautiful, and she is gorgeous, beautiful and intelligent, something that they could never imagine.
00:09:27
Speaker 3: I've already seen this start to build.
00:09:28
Speaker 1: I didn't know it's going there, because she might be attractive, therefore liberals, ugly liberal women, I didn't even know that was a thing.
00:09:36
Speaker 2: But this is, they already start pitting people against, and women against other women.
00:09:40
Speaker 3: I saw that and was like, so annoyed by it.
00:09:43
Speaker 1: I'm not that familiar with this young lady from being on Fox. We have it on a decent amount, but I just... I don't know. She doesn't have her own show. She comes on to do commentary. She looked a little familiar, but I'm not familiar with how she, what she's about and what she, preaches when she's on her segments, I have no idea.
00:10:00
Speaker 2: I don't know that much about her either, but we're going to find out a lot because she starts again today, I believe. Yes, Trump just put this out. I am pleased to announce that Katie Zachariah will be beginning her term as press secretary, Columbus Day, and will be doing an introductory news conference on Tuesday at 9.30 a.m.
00:10:19
Speaker 3: From the press briefing room in the White House.
00:10:21
Speaker 2: Katie has been with me in spirit from the very beginning and will do a fantastic job. That's going to be a big day for her on Tuesday. 9.30 a.m. We're watching. Obviously, that's appointment television. If anyone listening is around, you should tune in, too.
00:10:36
Speaker 3: Can you imagine, though? I don't care what your pedigree is or how well-versed you are. I mean, that's a lot.
00:10:42
Speaker 2: That is a lot to be standing in front of the White House press corps for the first time and knowing people are potentially ready to pounce. I give it to her and to anyone who stands at that pulpit. That's a tough job to have.
00:10:56
Speaker 1: You know what? I will give them, generally speaking, babe, the White House press corps. They understand what this is about. And I don't think anybody, at least tomorrow, will be after her.
00:11:09
Speaker 3: I hope not. And I don't think so.
00:11:10
Speaker 1: They'll have tough questions, but they get what that is. And I think they would welcome her. She's the newbie in there compared to a lot of them. And I think, you remember, Carolyn, I know we watched it, but do you remember- How they treated Carolyn Levitt in her first one, right? Were they kind to her? I don't remember her being pounced on or attacked kind of a thing. They're going to do their jobs. She better be ready to do hers.
00:11:31
Speaker 2: She should be ready. Look, and it's interesting because Carolyn left. I mean, was she the youngest one ever? Because she was 28 when she left. And I have to give, you know, this young lady, I say, Katie, she's 41.
00:11:44
Speaker 3: She's a mom of four. She's a practicing attorney.
00:11:47
Speaker 2: So she knows her I would imagine she knows her stuff and she's lived enough life. I think she'll be able to hold her own. I'm interested in watching her and I hope she does well.
00:11:56
Speaker 1: Might be a pretty tough cookie given mother of four and an attorney. She might be able to handle herself.
00:12:01
Speaker 3: I think she just might.
00:12:02
Speaker 1: Just fine. But the president now, this is how many for him? His press secretaries, he has had one, two, three, four, five. This will be his sixth president. robes over two terms. But here is the thing. Six out of the last seven White House press secretaries we have have all been women. Six out of the last seven.
00:12:25
Speaker 2: Why?
00:12:25
Speaker 1: I asked you that earlier. Why are there only women press secretaries?
00:12:29
Speaker 2: I don't know. I can't get inside his head, but I imagine he might like the face of a of a woman, a softer, kinder deliverer of news because the only man he had actually ended up becoming basically an SNL skit, like a walking SNL skit. I think everyone probably remembers the name Sean Spicer.
00:12:48
Speaker 1: I wouldn't have come up with it, but as soon as I... You start laughing. Oh, yeah. And he left because of Scaramucci.
00:12:56
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:12:56
Speaker 1: Remember, he came in as a communications director and Sean Spicer was like, what the hell? You're bringing this financial dude in to oversee me? So he didn't last that long.
00:13:04
Speaker 3: Seven months? Yes.
00:13:05
Speaker 1: Sean Spicer was the first. And then there was Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Then there was Stephanie Grisham, who has kind of turned on the president since leaving. Kayleigh McEnany. McEnany.
00:13:15
Speaker 3: McEnany. She's on Fox News now.
00:13:17
Speaker 1: And then Carolyn Leavitt. And, of course, Biden had Jean-Pierre and then Jen Psaki. So, Rob, you look at this. Huckabee Sanders, Kayleigh, Carolyn Leavitt, and this lady, all four of them, the new one, Fox News. all Fox News. Sean Spicer never got a gig over there. Jen Psaki has a gig at MSNOW now.
00:13:39
Speaker 3: And look at George Stephanopoulos.
00:13:41
Speaker 2: It does tend to, hey, look, if you can handle the press, if you can't beat them, join them. Kind of seems like what ends up happening.
00:13:48
Speaker 1: So only one man has been the White House press secretary in the past nine years. But stay here. Give you a little history. This is new to the White House press secretary briefing room to have women. Because before now, it's been almost exclusively men.
00:14:17
Speaker 3: Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ.
00:14:19
Speaker 2: Yes, we have the new White House, the new Trump press secretary officially beginning today. We'll see her hold her first press conference today. Tomorrow on Tuesday, Katie Zacharia, she's 41 years old. And yes, we have had nothing but women pretty much, minus Sean Spicer, for seven months in the past nine years. But before that, it was.
00:14:40
Speaker 3: Man after man after man after man.
00:14:42
Speaker 1: Isn't that crazy? Before... Trump got in there, Ro. Before Trump got in there, there was a 25-year stretch where there were only two women. Wow. And 10 men. What a change. What a flip. So you start going backwards. I don't remember Josh Earnest.
00:14:59
Speaker 3: I don't either.
00:14:59
Speaker 1: From the Obama years.
00:15:00
Speaker 3: But wait, he was there for quite some time.
00:15:02
Speaker 2: Don't.
00:15:03
Speaker 3: It doesn't feel controversial. Josh Earnest?
00:15:06
Speaker 1: You remember Jay Carney?
00:15:07
Speaker 3: I do remember Jay Carney.
00:15:08
Speaker 1: And even if you don't remember Robert Gibbs' name, you remember what he looked like if I show you a picture.
00:15:12
Speaker 3: I remember Robert Gibbs.
00:15:13
Speaker 1: Okay, so they were all in there during the Obama years. Then you had George W. Bush, Rose, going back before that. And that's when you had Dana Perino.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Dana Perino, who also has made a long history in media now, September 2007 to January 2009.
00:15:25
Speaker 3: And she's where right now?
00:15:29
Speaker 1: Fox News. Fox News. Before that, you had Tony Snow.
00:15:32
Speaker 3: Oh my goodness, Tony Snow.
00:15:34
Speaker 1: Who came from?
00:15:35
Speaker 3: Media, correct?
00:15:36
Speaker 2: Fox News.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: Fox News. He was at Fox News. Before that, you had Scott McClellan and Ari Fleischer. Where is he working? He's been a commentator somewhere. Is it Fox?
00:15:45
Speaker 3: I think it is.
00:15:46
Speaker 1: I think it might be Fox as well. And then before that, Clinton had Jake Stewart. I don't remember. Joe Lockhart. I remember Mike McCurry, George Stephanopoulos, and then D.D. Myers. Oh, D.D.
00:15:58
Speaker 3: Myers.
00:15:58
Speaker 1: The first woman to ever serve as White House press secretary, Clinton appointed her. That was in January of 93. She was there for about two years. That's amazing. So that's a longer stretch for a lot of them.
00:16:08
Speaker 2: I am actually shocked, though, babe, that George Stephanopoulos was only press secretary from January to June. He was only press secretary for six months?
00:16:17
Speaker 1: It was a temporary deal. He kept working with Clinton, but he was kind of filling in. He was communications director. but then filled in kind of a thing. I don't know if he was officially the one.
00:16:28
Speaker 3: It was during a crucial time. That's why we all remember. So yes, that's fascinating though. I did not realize.
00:16:34
Speaker 2: And yes, Ari Fleischer, by the way, I looked it up, Fox News contributor.
00:16:38
Speaker 1: So this is just a thing. It's a pipeline. It's interesting. Rooting for her. I'm absolutely rooting for this young lady. That's a very difficult job, but my goodness, what is she going to, is she just, we shouldn't be surprised if she gets up there and just gives the party or the Trump line.
00:16:54
Speaker 2: I actually can't wait. This is the back and forth. And look, this is part of what makes America, America.
00:17:00
Speaker 1: The fact that America great.
00:17:03
Speaker 3: Oh God, no.
00:17:04
Speaker 2: But the, but the fact that you can have an independent press ask tough, hard questions from the white house about the white house at the white house.
00:17:14
Speaker 3: I love this part of our country.
00:17:16
Speaker 2: Anyone who wants to try and make enemies of the press recognize that this is what keeps everybody honest. And whether you like what people write about you or not, it's important that people have the freedom to do so. And how this woman, Katie Zachariah, handles it will be very interesting.
00:17:33
Speaker 3: We will be watching.
00:17:34
Speaker 2: And yes, we hope she does well and has a great first day and is well-received. And maybe there could be a kinder, softer reception between the press and the.
00:17:44
Speaker 1: White House press secretary. She can bridge the divide because right now they're in court. Because right now the president is still trying to ban media outlets. Right now the president has the Department of Justice actually investigating CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and Fox News because of that pool coverage.
00:17:57
Speaker 3: Meantime, CNN, MSNOW, and Politico aren't allowed to cover the president.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: So, yes.
00:18:03
Speaker 1: Happy first day, Katie. Good luck, Katie.
00:18:06
Speaker 3: We'll see what you do with it. And until then, thank you, as always, for listening to us, everybody. I'm Amy Robach, alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Monday, October 12th, and officially the first day on the job for the new White House press secretary. Want to know a little bit about her? Might not be surprised to know that Fox News is on her resume. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Well, you're just a pipeline, ain't it?
00:00:23
Speaker 2: It is.
00:00:23
Speaker 1: It's just a pipeline.
00:00:24
Speaker 3: They're coming and they're going. Yes, Kellyanne. Sorry, not Kellyanne. That's hilarious. Well, she's on Fox News all the time as well.
00:00:32
Speaker 2: But Carolyn Leavitt was who I meant to say, has gone from the press secretary to Fox News. And yes, this new Katie Zachariah, I want to make sure I say her name right. Katie Zachariah has been a frequent commentator on Fox News and other conservative-leaning broadcasts. And yes, now she is coming to the press secretary role. So they're just kind of swapping out. Pete Hegseth became the Department of Defense. He came from Fox News. But there's a big pipeline there between Fox News and the White House or the Trump administration.
00:01:08
Speaker 1: All these websites right now, Indeed.com, all these things where you can find people's resumes. If you're at the White House looking for an employee, you go to Fox News. If you're at Fox News and you need a good host, a new host, go to the White House. Rose, this is kind of... Nothing's wrong. Nothing's illegal, necessarily. It's synergy.
00:01:31
Speaker 3: It's synergy, babe.
00:01:33
Speaker 1: It is. Babe, this is how it's done. If you want to learn a lesson in getting your message and having your messengers in line... Broke. I'm not saying I like it, but they are doing it well. This is some messaging for your ass.
00:01:49
Speaker 3: Well, they're dipping from the same wells, basically.
00:01:52
Speaker 1: So you got people walking around the Fox News newsroom who know exactly what it's like working in the White House and vice versa. Right.
00:01:58
Speaker 3: This is unheard of.
00:01:59
Speaker 1: This is incredible to me.
00:02:01
Speaker 3: Typically, let's just be honest.
00:02:02
Speaker 2: We can speak to this from a journalist's standpoint and certainly folks who have worked in the traditional media and network news, but also working in D.C.
00:02:14
Speaker 3: As well.
00:02:14
Speaker 2: There has always been a separation. Now, granted, George Stephanopoulos, who we worked alongside for many, many, many, many years, obviously was the press secretary there. to bill clinton but that dogged him and still dogs him now even in terms of his how he's viewed in terms of his impartiality his credibility it's all come into question but now that used to be this controversial thing now it's standard operating procedure because.
00:02:40
Speaker 1: They're all on the same mindset over at fox you're never going to get questioned at fox for being you're not being an objective journalists because you used to work at the white house fool i work at fox It's all the same stuff, right? You're not going to get that pushback and that blowback. Now, if somebody worked at, what, Fox News or the White House, and then they tried to work at what? ABC or NBC, that might be a different situation.
00:03:06
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:03:07
Speaker 1: About their bias.
00:03:08
Speaker 3: It would be very interesting, to say the least.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: But yes, here is what we know about your new, our new press secretary.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: She's 41 years old.
00:03:18
Speaker 2: She was briefly, actually, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson for Kristi Noem.
00:03:24
Speaker 1: How long did that last?
00:03:25
Speaker 3: Not very.
00:03:26
Speaker 1: It was very short.
00:03:27
Speaker 3: It was described as a brief stint.
00:03:29
Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. so not too long, but she is an advisor to Trump media. And basically that means she has been a part of the truth social posts that we've been seeing over the past. That's, I think that's the thing that's always, well, it's part of what is disturbing to me, because if you haven't checked out the president's true social account, you should at least once a week. But even if you did it daily or over the weekend in some free time, You would learn a lot about our president, but I would actually even say about the people behind the president, about the people who are actually doing this posting, encouraging him or at least offering him options to put up. She is a part of that team who advises him and is a part of.
00:04:11
Speaker 1: His true social. I wasn't that familiar with the organization. It's called Trump Media, but they are the company behind Trump. his Truth Social. It's hard to keep his world in line here.
00:04:25
Speaker 2: Trump Media and Technology Group is the full name of the company that she's been working with and for.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: And they are the ones who are over Truth Social and whatever else. Bro, this is so weird. I think about it now. This is a former employee of his in his personal business who is now the spokesperson for the United States of America.
00:04:47
Speaker 2: The problem is, look, anytime you have a president and they, for whatever political affiliation they represent, they're going to put their people obviously in place in terms of cabinet positions and certainly press secretary. So we understand that they're there to basically toe the party line and certainly toe the president's line. It's her job to communicate what the president is saying. or wants us to learn or know. But when you just see all of these intersections where she's so heavily embedded in his personal life and his personal business, in his professional business outside of being president, it does get a little sticky.
00:05:32
Speaker 1: But he's got his people. He's got his loyalists, and this loyalist to the president happens to be someone that is the spokesman for the United States of America. This is the most visible member of any administration because they're out there every single day talking to, well, supposed to be out there talking to that press room. This person is the spokesperson for the U.S. She is, well, she's supposed to be our spokesperson, but it feels, and it can feel a lot of times, that person is there strictly just doing the bidding and Well, that's.
00:06:13
Speaker 2: Absolutely what's taken place most often in the press room. We do have the president's post about her to give you his perspective on who he has just hired, who is officially taken over today. It is my great honor to have just appointed as press secretary Katie Zachariah. Katie currently serves as senior communications advisor to Truth Social, where she has been outstanding, a native of California. Katie previously served as spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. Katie is a distinguished graduate of Pepperdine University and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent commentator on outlets including Fox News and Newsmax.
00:06:56
Speaker 3: She was previously involved in.
00:06:58
Speaker 2: My campaigns assisting in key swing states where we won seven out of seven. She has an unblemished record of support and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter right.
00:07:07
Speaker 3: From the beginning.
00:07:09
Speaker 2: She is likewise a devoted fan.
00:07:12
Speaker 3: And member of MAGA. That line really stood out to me. I continue, or he continues, I am.
00:07:17
Speaker 2: Confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our country as the next White House press secretary, as she has the respect of and will work fantastically with the media, the American people, and my administration. Katie is replacing the fabulous Caroline Leavitt, who did a fantastic job as press secretary.
00:07:34
Speaker 3: Good luck, Katie.
00:07:35
Speaker 1: Go back to the part you had a problem with, or stood out to you, I shouldn't have said that. she is likewise a devoted fan.
00:07:44
Speaker 3: That's a problem for me.
00:07:46
Speaker 2: Why? To describe our press secretary, a, by the way, a member, a paid member of our government, our taxpayer dollars go to pay for her salary, and she is there to be a spokesperson for the White House.
00:07:59
Speaker 3: But to describe her as a devoted fan, I find that to be disturbing.
00:08:05
Speaker 2: That that's a qualification in which he puts... Like that is a part of what he wants. And just proudly talking of her as a fan, it diminishes her as a person.
00:08:16
Speaker 3: I feel like she's a mouthpiece.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: She's just a pretty thing to look at who will say what I want her to say because she's a fan of mine.
00:08:23
Speaker 1: I didn't take it that way initially. But yes, you're right. It sounds, it's offensive. It's almost an insult to her. Like, your qualification for this job is that you will do my bidding. Not because you're smart. He listed her accomplishments.
00:08:35
Speaker 3: She is smart and accomplished.
00:08:37
Speaker 1: But yeah, she is a devoted fan and member of MAGA. That was a signal to his people that she's one of us. It's okay. You can like her. You can trust her. You can support her. Because I've signed on.
00:08:46
Speaker 2: And I've already seen so many comments on X and other places where... are already predicting that the liberal media will hate her because she's beautiful and smart and all the unattractive liberal females who are members of the mainstream media will look at her with jealousy.
00:09:04
Speaker 3: I've already seen this.
00:09:05
Speaker 2: They're already anticipating any sort of animosity or any sort of adversarial role that the press may take with the press secretary, which, by the way, is historic.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: It's happened in every presidency.
00:09:17
Speaker 2: They're already trying to label other women as being jealous of her being beautiful, and she is gorgeous, beautiful and intelligent, something that they could never imagine.
00:09:27
Speaker 3: I've already seen this start to build.
00:09:28
Speaker 1: I didn't know it's going there, because she might be attractive, therefore liberals, ugly liberal women, I didn't even know that was a thing.
00:09:36
Speaker 2: But this is, they already start pitting people against, and women against other women.
00:09:40
Speaker 3: I saw that and was like, so annoyed by it.
00:09:43
Speaker 1: I'm not that familiar with this young lady from being on Fox. We have it on a decent amount, but I just... I don't know. She doesn't have her own show. She comes on to do commentary. She looked a little familiar, but I'm not familiar with how she, what she's about and what she, preaches when she's on her segments, I have no idea.
00:10:00
Speaker 2: I don't know that much about her either, but we're going to find out a lot because she starts again today, I believe. Yes, Trump just put this out. I am pleased to announce that Katie Zachariah will be beginning her term as press secretary, Columbus Day, and will be doing an introductory news conference on Tuesday at 9.30 a.m.
00:10:19
Speaker 3: From the press briefing room in the White House.
00:10:21
Speaker 2: Katie has been with me in spirit from the very beginning and will do a fantastic job. That's going to be a big day for her on Tuesday. 9.30 a.m. We're watching. Obviously, that's appointment television. If anyone listening is around, you should tune in, too.
00:10:36
Speaker 3: Can you imagine, though? I don't care what your pedigree is or how well-versed you are. I mean, that's a lot.
00:10:42
Speaker 2: That is a lot to be standing in front of the White House press corps for the first time and knowing people are potentially ready to pounce. I give it to her and to anyone who stands at that pulpit. That's a tough job to have.
00:10:56
Speaker 1: You know what? I will give them, generally speaking, babe, the White House press corps. They understand what this is about. And I don't think anybody, at least tomorrow, will be after her.
00:11:09
Speaker 3: I hope not. And I don't think so.
00:11:10
Speaker 1: They'll have tough questions, but they get what that is. And I think they would welcome her. She's the newbie in there compared to a lot of them. And I think, you remember, Carolyn, I know we watched it, but do you remember- How they treated Carolyn Levitt in her first one, right? Were they kind to her? I don't remember her being pounced on or attacked kind of a thing. They're going to do their jobs. She better be ready to do hers.
00:11:31
Speaker 2: She should be ready. Look, and it's interesting because Carolyn left. I mean, was she the youngest one ever? Because she was 28 when she left. And I have to give, you know, this young lady, I say, Katie, she's 41.
00:11:44
Speaker 3: She's a mom of four. She's a practicing attorney.
00:11:47
Speaker 2: So she knows her I would imagine she knows her stuff and she's lived enough life. I think she'll be able to hold her own. I'm interested in watching her and I hope she does well.
00:11:56
Speaker 1: Might be a pretty tough cookie given mother of four and an attorney. She might be able to handle herself.
00:12:01
Speaker 3: I think she just might.
00:12:02
Speaker 1: Just fine. But the president now, this is how many for him? His press secretaries, he has had one, two, three, four, five. This will be his sixth president. robes over two terms. But here is the thing. Six out of the last seven White House press secretaries we have have all been women. Six out of the last seven.
00:12:25
Speaker 2: Why?
00:12:25
Speaker 1: I asked you that earlier. Why are there only women press secretaries?
00:12:29
Speaker 2: I don't know. I can't get inside his head, but I imagine he might like the face of a of a woman, a softer, kinder deliverer of news because the only man he had actually ended up becoming basically an SNL skit, like a walking SNL skit. I think everyone probably remembers the name Sean Spicer.
00:12:48
Speaker 1: I wouldn't have come up with it, but as soon as I... You start laughing. Oh, yeah. And he left because of Scaramucci.
00:12:56
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:12:56
Speaker 1: Remember, he came in as a communications director and Sean Spicer was like, what the hell? You're bringing this financial dude in to oversee me? So he didn't last that long.
00:13:04
Speaker 3: Seven months? Yes.
00:13:05
Speaker 1: Sean Spicer was the first. And then there was Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Then there was Stephanie Grisham, who has kind of turned on the president since leaving. Kayleigh McEnany. McEnany.
00:13:15
Speaker 3: McEnany. She's on Fox News now.
00:13:17
Speaker 1: And then Carolyn Leavitt. And, of course, Biden had Jean-Pierre and then Jen Psaki. So, Rob, you look at this. Huckabee Sanders, Kayleigh, Carolyn Leavitt, and this lady, all four of them, the new one, Fox News. all Fox News. Sean Spicer never got a gig over there. Jen Psaki has a gig at MSNOW now.
00:13:39
Speaker 3: And look at George Stephanopoulos.
00:13:41
Speaker 2: It does tend to, hey, look, if you can handle the press, if you can't beat them, join them. Kind of seems like what ends up happening.
00:13:48
Speaker 1: So only one man has been the White House press secretary in the past nine years. But stay here. Give you a little history. This is new to the White House press secretary briefing room to have women. Because before now, it's been almost exclusively men.
00:14:17
Speaker 3: Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ.
00:14:19
Speaker 2: Yes, we have the new White House, the new Trump press secretary officially beginning today. We'll see her hold her first press conference today. Tomorrow on Tuesday, Katie Zacharia, she's 41 years old. And yes, we have had nothing but women pretty much, minus Sean Spicer, for seven months in the past nine years. But before that, it was.
00:14:40
Speaker 3: Man after man after man after man.
00:14:42
Speaker 1: Isn't that crazy? Before... Trump got in there, Ro. Before Trump got in there, there was a 25-year stretch where there were only two women. Wow. And 10 men. What a change. What a flip. So you start going backwards. I don't remember Josh Earnest.
00:14:59
Speaker 3: I don't either.
00:14:59
Speaker 1: From the Obama years.
00:15:00
Speaker 3: But wait, he was there for quite some time.
00:15:02
Speaker 2: Don't.
00:15:03
Speaker 3: It doesn't feel controversial. Josh Earnest?
00:15:06
Speaker 1: You remember Jay Carney?
00:15:07
Speaker 3: I do remember Jay Carney.
00:15:08
Speaker 1: And even if you don't remember Robert Gibbs' name, you remember what he looked like if I show you a picture.
00:15:12
Speaker 3: I remember Robert Gibbs.
00:15:13
Speaker 1: Okay, so they were all in there during the Obama years. Then you had George W. Bush, Rose, going back before that. And that's when you had Dana Perino.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Dana Perino, who also has made a long history in media now, September 2007 to January 2009.
00:15:25
Speaker 3: And she's where right now?
00:15:29
Speaker 1: Fox News. Fox News. Before that, you had Tony Snow.
00:15:32
Speaker 3: Oh my goodness, Tony Snow.
00:15:34
Speaker 1: Who came from?
00:15:35
Speaker 3: Media, correct?
00:15:36
Speaker 2: Fox News.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: Fox News. He was at Fox News. Before that, you had Scott McClellan and Ari Fleischer. Where is he working? He's been a commentator somewhere. Is it Fox?
00:15:45
Speaker 3: I think it is.
00:15:46
Speaker 1: I think it might be Fox as well. And then before that, Clinton had Jake Stewart. I don't remember. Joe Lockhart. I remember Mike McCurry, George Stephanopoulos, and then D.D. Myers. Oh, D.D.
00:15:58
Speaker 3: Myers.
00:15:58
Speaker 1: The first woman to ever serve as White House press secretary, Clinton appointed her. That was in January of 93. She was there for about two years. That's amazing. So that's a longer stretch for a lot of them.
00:16:08
Speaker 2: I am actually shocked, though, babe, that George Stephanopoulos was only press secretary from January to June. He was only press secretary for six months?
00:16:17
Speaker 1: It was a temporary deal. He kept working with Clinton, but he was kind of filling in. He was communications director. but then filled in kind of a thing. I don't know if he was officially the one.
00:16:28
Speaker 3: It was during a crucial time. That's why we all remember. So yes, that's fascinating though. I did not realize.
00:16:34
Speaker 2: And yes, Ari Fleischer, by the way, I looked it up, Fox News contributor.
00:16:38
Speaker 1: So this is just a thing. It's a pipeline. It's interesting. Rooting for her. I'm absolutely rooting for this young lady. That's a very difficult job, but my goodness, what is she going to, is she just, we shouldn't be surprised if she gets up there and just gives the party or the Trump line.
00:16:54
Speaker 2: I actually can't wait. This is the back and forth. And look, this is part of what makes America, America.
00:17:00
Speaker 1: The fact that America great.
00:17:03
Speaker 3: Oh God, no.
00:17:04
Speaker 2: But the, but the fact that you can have an independent press ask tough, hard questions from the white house about the white house at the white house.
00:17:14
Speaker 3: I love this part of our country.
00:17:16
Speaker 2: Anyone who wants to try and make enemies of the press recognize that this is what keeps everybody honest. And whether you like what people write about you or not, it's important that people have the freedom to do so. And how this woman, Katie Zachariah, handles it will be very interesting.
00:17:33
Speaker 3: We will be watching.
00:17:34
Speaker 2: And yes, we hope she does well and has a great first day and is well-received. And maybe there could be a kinder, softer reception between the press and the.
00:17:44
Speaker 1: White House press secretary. She can bridge the divide because right now they're in court. Because right now the president is still trying to ban media outlets. Right now the president has the Department of Justice actually investigating CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and Fox News because of that pool coverage.
00:17:57
Speaker 3: Meantime, CNN, MSNOW, and Politico aren't allowed to cover the president.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: So, yes.
00:18:03
Speaker 1: Happy first day, Katie. Good luck, Katie.
00:18:06
Speaker 3: We'll see what you do with it. And until then, thank you, as always, for listening to us, everybody. I'm Amy Robach, alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.