‘Not Ready for Primetime!’ Critics Destroy Trump’s New Press Secretary After 14 Minute Hit-and-Run Debut 2026

Bulgaria News

(Screengrab via X)

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia’s debut behind the podium Tuesday lasted just 14 minutes and included questions from only three reporters, immediately setting off a wave of mockery from critics who gave her no quarter.

Zacharia, who formally took over from Karoline Leavitt this week, opened Tuesday’s briefing with a lengthy prepared statement before taking a limited number of questions on Iran, the midterms and the administration’s agenda. She also made news by announcing that the White House had asked U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign.

But much of the immediate online conversation centered on Zacharia herself, particularly her delivery of a lengthy written statement and the abrupt end to the briefing.

MS NOW host and former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the briefing a “basically an SNL skit”:

Well that briefing was basically an SNL skit…except it wasnt…will have a lot more to say at 9pm

— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) October 13, 2026

The comparisons to Leavitt were also common:

I get guff for saying Leavitt was very good at this job, but she was! It’s not easy and she never got flustered. https://t.co/GH0g1RoFc3

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) October 13, 2026

Independent left-leaning journalist Aaron Rupar trashed Zacharia as “brutally bad” and the press conference as a “disaster”:

Katie Zacharia’s first press briefing was brutally bad

Trump managed to find a press secretary who can barely read, but she does have the number one qualification — looking like Ivanka

Here’s a supercut from Zacharia’s first briefing, which made Karoline Leavitt seem… pic.twitter.com/H8xbpAGAW7

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2026

Katie Zacharia makes Karoline Leavitt seem like Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/AgFbrCALAq

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2026

holy shit — Zacharia took 3 questions and then wrapped it up. The whole press briefing was under 30 minutes. What a disaster. pic.twitter.com/Le92z5ATmY

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2026

OMG she is brutally bad at this pic.twitter.com/JHT0w0nzDz

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2026

Ron Filipkowski similarly called the briefing “bizarre” while MeidasTouch tweeted out Zacharia was “not ready for primetime”:

Very bizarre first WH press briefing from the new press secretary. She takes questions from 3 reporters and leaves.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 13, 2026

Not ready for primetime https://t.co/ERUbFmVfbd

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 13, 2026

Others piled on:

Doing a great job @KatieZacharia https://t.co/yEv8ejTK0D

— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) October 13, 2026

Made sure to sidestep any serious questions on Day One. Not ready for prime time. https://t.co/gc2pPMWojc

— Carla ‘Bluechecked’ Marinucci (@cmarinucci) October 13, 2026

I’d like to see a camera on Trump for his reaction to this briefing as it’s happening.

— Connell McShane (@connellmcshane) October 13, 2026

How did this imbecile get hired omg https://t.co/CZSdH6SEQ7

— Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) October 13, 2026

Chat-GPT-ass first speech from the new press secretary pic.twitter.com/4RjKi097Qb

— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) October 13, 2026

It can’t be real. It’s something from Tina Fey’s imagination. pic.twitter.com/iw8pyF9gvg

— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) October 13, 2026

Sounds tired already. https://t.co/doqvZqZ8Cv

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2026

Even some friendly voices acknowledged an uneven opening. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet praised Zacharia for holding the briefing immediately rather than waiting to settle into the role, but conceded she appeared “perhaps a bit nervous reading the prepared statement.”

Thought it was smart of new WH Press Sec Katie Zacharia to rip the band-aid and hold her first press briefing straight away. She came off perhaps a bit nervous reading the prepared statement, but very relatable and likeable. She lit up when talking when about her family.

And she… https://t.co/bqgg3jesDu

— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 13, 2026

Media coach and senior fellow at the conservative Independent Women’s Forum Beverly Hallberg offered a harsher technical critique, writing up her report card that Zacharia was “visibly nervous,” relying too heavily on her notes and “stumbling over her words.”

Katie Zacharia is only at the opening statement, but my critique so far:

— She’s relying far too heavily on her notes.
— When looking at her notes, her head is tilted down significantly. She should keep her notes in the top half of the page so she doesn’t have to look so far…

— Beverly Hallberg (@BeverlyHallberg) October 13, 2026

Other Trump allies were outright enthusiastic. Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier declared Zacharia “completely nailed it,” calling her “sharp, loyal, and ready to take on the biased media.”

Katie Zacharia just held her first White House briefing as Press Secretary, and she completely nailed it!
She’s sharp, loyal, and ready to take on the biased media. With midterm momentum higher than ever, President Trump picked the absolute best person for the job! pic.twitter.com/YDHviFYVyV

— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) October 13, 2026

Some Trump loyalists jumped in to defend Zacharia against the more negative reviews of her briefing, like Jack Posobiec:

Libs hate conservative women

They make them uncomfortable https://t.co/iXs1LBFnZu

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) October 13, 2026

——

The post ‘Not Ready for Primetime!’ Critics Destroy Trump’s New Press Secretary After 14 Minute Hit-and-Run Debut first appeared on Mediaite.

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