Trump Says New Press Secretary Zacharia Should Decide Her Future

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia should decide whether to stay in the job, just days after she held her first briefing.

Trump said he spoke with Zacharia before leaving for a campaign rally in Georgia. He told reporters he asked her, "Katie, is this for you?" and said, "you don't have to do this if you don't want." NPR

He said the decision about her future was up to her, according to that account. He also said she had been treated "pretty nastily". Trump said Zacharia should reconsider the spokeswoman role, Reuters reported.

Monday was Zacharia's first official day as press secretary, and she held her first briefing on Tuesday morning in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. At that briefing, she read a lengthy and halting opening statement from notes and called on only three reporters.

Her performance at the briefing and her legal credentials have drawn scrutiny. The White House has identified Zacharia as the 37th White House press secretary.

Zacharia served as a communications adviser for Trump's media company before taking the White House job. Trump had announced that she would succeed Karoline Leavitt as press secretary. Associated Press