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Fast.’  (https://www.mediaite.com/author/kathianne-boniello) (Posts by Kathianne Boniello) Kathianne Boniello  Oct 13th, 2026, 10:58 am    Share (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Fnews%2Fwh-official-absolutely-trashes-zacharias-debut-as-press-sec-warns-she-could-be-fired-faster-than-scaramucci-she-needs-to-get-much-better-fast) X  (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Fnews%2Fwh-official-absolutely-trashes-zacharias-debut-as-press-sec-warns-she-could-be-fired-faster-than-scaramucci-she-needs-to-get-much-better-fast) Facebook  (https://www.reddit.com/submit) (submit to reddit)    Copy Link     (index.html#open-comments)   (katie zacharia's first briefing showing her in a white blouse black jacket with american flag behind her)  Screenshot  Katie Zacharia’s shaky first turn at the White House brief room’s podium earned a scathing response from one official, who immediately declared she better improve — and quick. The anonymous official told MS NOW’s Jake Traylor that Zacharia, 41, is on track to shatter former White House Comms Director Anthony Scaramucci’s time at the helm, which lasted a scant 10 days during President Donald Trump’s first term in 2017. “Getting behind the podium is tough, but she got off on the wrong foot. She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she’ll break Scaramucci’s record,” the (https://x.com/jake__traylor/status/2110008478404083865?s=20) source told Traylor.  Quote from a WH official just now following Katie Zacharia's first press briefing:  "Getting behind the podium is tough, but she got off on the wrong foot. She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she'll break Scaramucci's record." — Jake Traylor (@jake__traylor) (https://x.com/jake__traylor/status/2110008478404083865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) October 13, 2026    Zacharia was (https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/breaking-trumps-new-press-secretary-pick-revealed/) announced last week as successor to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt , who (https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/karoline-leavitts-sudden-exit-from-trump-white-house-sends-shockwaves/) shockingly stepped down in August following the birth of her second child. The California mother of four was clearly nervous as she took to the podium Tuesday morning, mostly reading her remarks and taking a few softball questions before ending the briefing after a measly 14 minutes. She managed to drop one bit of big news in that short span. “We have asked (https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-asks-kimberly-guilfoyle-to-resign-amid-corruption-charges-new-white-house-press-secretary-katie-zacharia-reveals/) Ambassador [Kimberlyl] Guilfoyle to resign ,” Zacharia said in response to a question from the Daily Mail. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish her well.” Her performance was slammed by a panel on MS NOW, during which former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney quipped, “(https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/ms-now-panel-roasts-katie-zacharias-debut-briefing-who-thought-wed-miss-sean-spicer/) Who thought we’d miss Sean Spicer  ?” Spicer infamously insisted after Trump’s first inauguration in January 2017 that it had “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe” — despite ample evidence to the contrary. Zacharia reportedly got Trump’s attention, and thus, the White House press secretary gig,(https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trumps-new-white-house-press-secretary-timed-tv-hits-to-catch-his-eye-report/) by timing her television appearances to when she believed he’d be watching. According to Politico’s Playbook , Zacharia checked Trump’s public schedule every day and kept an eye on his Truth Social account, then made sure she was on the television when he would be most likely to see her. New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters" Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. (https://www.mediaite.com/subscribe) Subscribe now!       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