Katie Zacharia, the New White House Press Secretary, Never Passed the Bar Exam
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has confirmed that she never passed a U.S. bar exam, despite repeatedly describing herself as a lawyer and being called an attorney by President Donald Trump.
Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011 and later worked in China on international transactions. Recent reporting found no evidence that she was ever admitted to practice law in any U.S. state. The revelation has raised questions about how she has described her professional credentials before joining the White House.
The Brief
Questions about Zacharia’s legal background intensified after she was appointed White House press secretary and appeared before reporters for the first time on October 13.
During an exchange with reporters, Zacharia was asked where she had passed the bar exam. She responded, “When I moved to China,” prompting further questions about whether she had actually obtained a license to practice law.
Zacharia later explained that she misunderstood the question because of the noise from Marine One. She said she had worked in Beijing after moving to China and maintained that she had practiced international transactional work with the appropriate credentials.
The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that Zacharia had taken the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine but did not pass it. The report also found no evidence that she later passed a bar examination in another U.S. state.
What We Know About Her Legal Background
Zacharia earned her law degree from Pepperdine in 2011. Afterward, she moved to China and worked with the Beijing-based Zhong Lun Law Firm on its international practice team.
Her work involved international transactions, but available reporting indicates that she did not hold a U.S. law license. The Wall Street Journal reported that a person familiar with her work said a law license was not required for the position she held in China.
The distinction between having a law degree and being licensed to practice law has become central to the controversy.
Zacharia has publicly referred to herself as a lawyer, including during television appearances before becoming press secretary. She told The New York Times that she had received guidance from Pepperdine leadership that she could use the term “lawyer,” while avoiding terms such as “attorney” or “esquire.”
The issue has attracted scrutiny from legal experts because the terms are commonly associated with people who have completed the licensing requirements necessary to practice law.
Trump Called Her an Attorney
The controversy also involves how President Trump described Zacharia when announcing her appointment.
Trump referred to Zacharia as an “attorney” while praising her background and announcing that she would replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary.
The White House has not disputed reports that Zacharia did not pass a U.S. bar exam. Instead, Communications Director Steven Cheung defended her qualifications, describing her as “uniquely qualified and whip smart” for the press secretary position.
A White House official also told The Wall Street Journal that Zacharia was not hired to handle legal matters for the administration. Her role is to serve as the administration’s chief public spokesperson.
Questions Over the China Claim
Zacharia’s reference to China added another layer to the controversy.
China has its own legal qualification system, but reporting has found no evidence that Zacharia passed China’s legal qualification examination. Her work in Beijing involved international transactions rather than serving as a licensed Chinese lawyer.
Zacharia has maintained that she worked in international transactional law and had the credentials necessary for that work.
The issue has nevertheless prompted additional scrutiny because of her previous public descriptions of herself as a lawyer and the way some media outlets have identified her as an attorney.
Complaint and Investigation
The controversy has also moved beyond questions in the media.
The watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability has filed a complaint with the State Bar of California asking for an investigation into Zacharia’s public representations about her legal credentials.
The complaint does not itself establish that Zacharia violated any law or professional rule. Any determination about whether her statements violated California regulations would have to come through the appropriate legal or regulatory process.
For now, Zacharia remains White House press secretary, and the administration continues to defend her qualifications for the position.
What’s Next
The controversy is expected to continue as questions remain about Zacharia’s professional background and how she has described her legal experience.
Available reporting indicates that she earned a law degree but did not pass the California bar exam and has not been shown to hold a U.S. law license. Her work in China and her use of the term “lawyer” are now receiving additional scrutiny.
The White House has said she was selected for her communications abilities and is not serving as a legal adviser. Meanwhile, the California State Bar complaint could bring further attention to whether her public descriptions of her credentials complied with applicable rules.
