Katie Zacharia Fires Back: 'Utterly Fake' Rumors of Press Secretary Return

Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is pushing back against reports that she is trying to reclaim her old job, calling the rumors "utterly fake" in a statement to TMZ ^[2]. The denial comes just days after she was spotted at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where sources told the New York Post she was "staring" at the president, trying to get his attention for a potential return to the podium ^[1].

Zacharia, who was fired after only five days on the job last month, told TMZ that she maintains a "loyal and great relationship" with Trump but insisted she is not auditioning for the role again ^[2]. "They're spreading abject lies from anonymous sources," she said, accusing reporters of complicity in spreading fake news.

However, sources close to the administration paint a different picture. According to the New York Post, three advisers believe Zacharia has been working to win over Trump and Stephen Miller, the new chief of staff, in hopes of securing another opportunity ^[1]. One tipster claimed Zacharia admitted she anchored Right Side Broadcasting Network’s election-night coverage specifically so Trump would see her performance and reconsider her hiring.

Zacharia was seen at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend as Trump prepared for staff changes following a landslide election defeat for congressional Republicans ^[1]. While she publicly praised Miller’s role in the administration’s deportation campaign, other sources say she claimed afterward that her comments about using her TV appearance to regain the post were "only joking".

The White House reaction has been a mix of humor and horror. One official told the Post that Zacharia’s return won’t happen "in a million years," while another quipped that they had "given birth without drugs" but couldn't imagine her level of pain tolerance ^[1]. Trump himself is reportedly saying she is a "train wreck" and a "joke," according to a source who spoke to the Post.

Despite the skepticism, Zacharia’s former colleague Caroline Sunshine, a former Disney Channel actress, is also reportedly trying to secure meetings with Trump for the vacant role ^[1]. As the press secretary position remains empty, the jockeying for the podium continues, with Zacharia’s own words clashing sharply with the insider accounts of her ambitious weekend visit.