Trump Appoints Katie Zacharia as New White House Press Secretary

President Donald Trump appointed Katie Zacharia as White House Press Secretary on Friday, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who departed in August.

Trump announced the appointment on Truth Social, praising Zacharia's unblemished record of support and calling her a loyal and brilliant supporter. Zacharia, a conservative commentator and lawyer, thanked Trump on X, calling it the honor of a lifetime. She previously served as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group since June and as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security.

Zacharia also worked as general counsel at Fix California, a conservative activist group. The New York Times first reported the news of her appointment. Prediction market Kalshi has opened an investigation into suspicious bets related to Zacharia's selection. The Wall Street Journal reported that three traders placed bets on her chances on the Kalshi platform shortly before news outlets began announcing her appointment.

Zacharia was widely seen as having only a 1 percent chance of becoming press secretary. These small but well-timed wagers provided an opportunity for bettors to make thousands of dollars, with one $19 bet slated to pay out $1,896. Bets of $74 and $80 were expected to pay out $3,689 and $4,023 respectively. This activity raises suspicions about insider information, following a prior incident where White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez was fired for collecting over $100,000 on bets about presidential speeches. Zacharia has a history of promoting claims, including an argument on X in November 2025, linking the abortion pill mifepristone to Nazi concentration camps.