Trump ousts new spokeswoman Katie Zacharia five days after appointing her

President Donald Trump ousted White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia five days after appointing her, leaving the White House without a spokesperson amid criticism of her debut briefing and questions about her legal background.

President Donald Trump ousted White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia on her fifth day in the role, The New York Times revealed Friday, citing three people familiar with the matter. Two U.S. officials confirmed the move to CBS News.

Trump picked Zacharia on Oct. 9 to succeed Karoline Leavitt, who stepped aside in August. The White House has not said who will replace her or brief reporters, and some staff reportedly learned of the change from news coverage.

A rocky start

The White House in Washington

Zacharia drew heavy criticism after her first briefing on Oct. 13, which took questions from only three outlets. The controversy deepened when she acknowledged failing the California bar exam in 2011 despite presenting herself as a legal professional.

Hours before the news broke, Trump told reporters, “Honestly if I were you, I’d reconsider,” saying the media had been “so nasty to her.” Sources said she is expected to get another administration role. Her short stint is being compared with Anthony Scaramucci’s 11 days as communications director.