Trump fires press secretary Katie Zacharia after five days

US President Donald Trump’s new press secretary Katie Zacharias has exited her White House position after just five days in the job, following a problematic first press briefing and concern around her standing as a lawyer.

A White House official confirmed the departure Friday, Oct. 16, following Trump tweet suggesting she change her mind about the position, Reuters said.

Zacharias first and only White House press conference was on Tuesday and lasted about 14 minutes. She answered questions from three reporters before she left, which drew criticism over her performance. She has also come under fire after revealing she had flunked the California bar exam, after previously referring to herself as a lawyer. A law degree does not qualify someone to work as a lawyer in the US.

Trump said he told her to think again about taking the job because she had faced so much scrutiny and pressure from the media. “I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy and I don’t think you can ever be happy in this stuff,'” Trump told reporters, Reuters reports.

Zacharia’s departure leaves the administration searching for a new top spokesperson before the Nov. 3 congressional midterm elections. Zacharia was named to replace Karoline Leavitt.