Katie Zacharia has defended Donald Trump after the former president said she “freaked out” during her brief stint as White House press secretary.
Zacharia, 42, spoke following Trump’s remarks at a Florida rally last Friday, where he described her as a “perfect, beautiful woman” who crumbled under media pressure. The former press secretary lasted only five days in the role after a turbulent first briefing that included an awkward moment where she referred to her husband as “my president.”
“No wonder that poor young woman, she was a perfect, beautiful woman when she walked into that press room and they started screaming at her, she freaked out,” Trump told the crowd. “And I said, ‘You know what? There are nicer ways for you to make a living. You want to deal with these maniacs, you can deal if you want, but there are easier ways for you to live.'”
Trump had suggested Zacharia step down shortly after the briefing, and her departure was confirmed within days of the 14-minute press conference.
In her interview, Zacharia pushed back against the idea that Trump’s comments were critical. “It was an honor to work for President Trump, and no one has been more relentlessly attacked by the media than him,” she said.
She continued: “As Rudyard Kipling wrote, ‘If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch.’ After a week with him on the midterm blitz, I saw that in action: working around the clock with world leaders—bringing hostages home and brokering peace—while speaking to crowds of Americans to win the midterms and deliver for the people.”
Zacharia added: “No one has carried the water for the Republican Party and America First like he has for over a decade, all without losing the common touch.”
The former press secretary had already addressed her departure on X, where she posted shortly after leaving the position. “President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to,” she wrote at the time.
Trump made the comments about Zacharia while campaigning ahead of next month’s midterm elections. The rally where he discussed her brief tenure came months after she left the White House post.
Zacharia’s original press conference had drawn widespread attention for its unusual moments, including the reference to her husband as “my president” and the overall brevity of the event. The briefing lasted just 14 minutes before she exited, and she was out of the job within the week.
Trump is expected to continue his midterm campaign push with additional rallies in the coming weeks.