Washington DC - President Donald Trump has offered the job of White House press secretary to conservative commentator Katie Zacharia, an administration official told AFP on Friday.
The official confirmed that Zacharia, a lawyer and communications adviser to Trump's media company, had been offered the high-profile position, although it was not immediately clear whether she had accepted.
She would succeed Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August after becoming one of the most prominent public faces of Trump's second administration.
Zacharia currently serves as a senior communications advisor to Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates the president's Truth Social platform, according to her LinkedIn profile.
A frequent commentator on conservative television networks including Fox News and Newsmax, she previously served a brief stint as a spokeswoman for then-Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem.
She joined the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year but left after around two months, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Zacharia, who lives in California, has also worked with Fix California, a conservative advocacy group founded by Richard Grenell, a longtime Trump ally and one of his special presidential envoys.
According to CNBC, she serves as general counsel for the organization, which seeks to advance conservative political causes in the Democratic-leaning state.
A graduate of Pepperdine University's law school, Zacharia began her career in Republican politics, working as an intern for the Republican National Committee in 2006, CNN reported.
Who is Trump's new press secretary, Katie Zacharia?
The New York Times first reported her selection on Friday, citing two people familiar with the decision.
Trump had sought advice from several allies and advisors, including Leavitt, before deciding to offer Zacharia the position, according to CNN.
Her appointment would fill one of the White House's most visible positions, with the press secretary responsible for briefing journalists, fielding questions about administration policies, and serving as a chief public defender of the president.
Leavitt, who took up the position when Trump returned to power in January 2025, became the youngest White House press secretary in US history at 27.
A staunch Trump loyalist who previously served as press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign, she left the administration in late August following the birth of her second child.
Trump said at the time that Leavitt wanted to spend more time with her family and would remain an outside advisor.
Fox News announced this week that Leavitt would join the conservative network as an on-air contributor beginning in November.