Trump's press secretary claims lawyer status despite no bar record

President Trump's newly appointed press secretary, Katie Zacharia, has repeatedly identified herself as a lawyer on radio and television, even noting a General Counsel role at the conservative nonprofit Fix California. An investigative review of attorney licensing records across the United States, including California, Texas, and Washington, D.C., found no record of her being admitted to any bar. Although Pepperdine University confirmed she received a J.D. in 2011, the absence of a bar license means she is not authorized to practice law.

California law classifies false claims of legal authority as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The investigation did not determine whether her conduct rises to criminal liability, and her LinkedIn profile still listed the General Counsel title into 2026 despite the role ending in March 2025.