White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Admits She Never Passed the Bar Exam
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed on Thursday that she never passed the bar exam, despite having described herself as a lawyer and being referred to as an attorney by President Trump. The admission came during an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, following a Wall Street Journal report that Zacharia failed the California bar exam in 2011 and did not pass the bar in any other U.S. jurisdiction. In a separate Fox News interview, host Sean Hannity asked point-blank: “You went to Pepperdine law school but you did not pass the bar exam, correct?” Zacharia acknowledged the fact, marking a significant moment of scrutiny over her legal credentials.nnThe revelation has raised questions about Zacharia’s past self-descriptions. According to CNN, she shared at least 15 social media posts identifying her as an “attorney” over the past two years, including Fox News headlines and One America News segments that used the title. At least one of those posts has since been deleted, but posts reviewed by CNN show that Zacharia had amplified the title across both X and Truth Social between April 2025 and September 2026. Zacharia has publicly acknowledged that she had been advised not to use the term “attorney.” In a statement to USA TODAY, she confirmed that she graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011, took the bar exam that year, and then moved to China with her husband. She said she worked for a Chinese law firm’s international-practice team on multimillion-dollar shareholder agreements involving investments through the World Bank.nnThe discrepancy between Zacharia’s public persona as a legal expert and her actual credentials has become a political flashpoint, especially given her high-profile role as the face of the White House press office. Critics argue that using the title “attorney” without a license is misleading, while supporters note her substantive legal work in international finance. The White House has not issued a formal response to the reports, but the admission is likely to fuel ongoing debates about transparency and qualifications in the administration. As press secretary, Zacharia’s credibility is paramount, and this episode underscores the intense scrutiny public officials face over their professional backgrounds.nnThis story has been updated with additional context and reactions. CBS News has reached out
Shimanta Das 
