White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Admits Failing Bar Exam

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed Thursday that she did not pass the bar exam, following days of scrutiny over her legal credentials.

During an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity, Zacharia stated she had not passed the California bar exam, her first direct confirmation on the matter. She also told Hannity that she consulted with people who advised her it was acceptable to call herself a lawyer but not an attorney, a claim she confirmed. Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011 and previously described herself as a lawyer on social media and during television appearances.

She told Real America's Voice that she registered for the bar exam but was distracted by plans to move to China, adding that the results were somewhat inconsequential because she would not need the bar in China. Foreign nationals cannot sit China's bar exam. Zacharia also stated she did not take the bar exam a second time, citing having four kids in six years and that it was never her intent to practice law.

Zacharia made the comments during an interview with Jack Posobiec, recalling her time in China from 2011 to 2013, where she worked at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing. Her first White House press briefing on Tuesday lasted 14 minutes and she took three questions. Zacharia attributed the short briefing and her visible nervousness to waking at 3 a.m. to prepare and not having a full briefing beforehand. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended Zacharia, stating she is uniquely qualified and whip smart.