Katie Zacharia takes the White House briefing podium
The new press secretary’s first briefing took place on October 13. Here are the sources to watch and read.
Katie Zacharia held her first White House press briefing on October 13, 2026. The White House published a recording of the appearance.
President Donald Trump announced her appointment on October 9, according to AP. Zacharia succeeds Karoline Leavitt and previously worked for Trump’s media company.
AP reported that the debut lasted about 14 minutes and included questions from three outlets. That is a description of this briefing, not a prediction of how future briefings will work.
The full official recording and independent reporting are linked below. Compare what was said at the podium with reporting on the underlying claims, rather than relying on an isolated clip.
Sources
Editorial note
Source brief compiled from linked reporting and primary material. No original interviews were conducted.