Anthony Scaramucci, who served as President Trump's communications director for 11 days in 2017, took a jab at Katie Zacharia's brief tenure as White House press secretary, which lasted just five days. In a post on X, Scaramucci wrote, "Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people's pain."
Zacharia was appointed to the role last week, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who left earlier this year. Her first press briefing on Tuesday drew heavy scrutiny for its brevity and limited questions. She spoke for 14 minutes and took questions from only three reporters, prompting speculation about her future. Bets on prediction site Kalshi were placed on when she would leave.
Scaramucci had earlier quipped on X, "The clock is running. Thus far 1/11th of a Scaramucci," referencing his own short tenure. His latest comment came after a White House official confirmed to The Hill that Zacharia is "transitioning out" of the role.
President Trump signaled her departure Friday before leaving for Georgia, saying he advised her to reconsider the job. "I said, 'Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider,'" Trump told reporters, adding, "You think about it, but I would reconsider."
Zacharia's exit follows reports of strained relations with the president and questions about her legal credentials. She has identified herself as a lawyer on television, but a report found she is not licensed to practice in any state, including California, where she resides.
When asked about her bar exam status earlier this week, Zacharia said she took it "when I moved to China." The Wall Street Journal later reported she had failed the exam. In subsequent interviews, she said she "misheard" the question and called the results "inconsequential."
The controversy added to her credibility problems, with critics noting her recent comments mocking China's toilets and her admission that she tailored her TV appearances to align with Trump's agenda to land the job.
Zacharia's brief tenure underscores the volatility of the communications operation in the second Trump administration. Her departure marks the second press secretary to leave in under a year, and it remains unclear who will take over the role.
