Trump appoints Katie Zakharia as White House Press Secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt

US President Donald Trump officially announced early Saturday morning the appointment of Katie Zakharia as the new White House Press Secretary, succeeding former spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who left her post for family reasons.

Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: "It is a great honor for me to announce today the appointment of Katie Zakharia as Press Secretary. Katie currently serves as Chief Communications Officer at Truth Social, part of the Trump Media & Technology Group, where she has demonstrated exceptional competence and excellence."

Trump said: "Katie hails from California and previously served as official spokesperson and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. She is a distinguished graduate of Pepperdine University and Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, works as an attorney, and regularly appears as a commentator and analyst on prominent media outlets such as Fox News and Newsmax."

He continued: "She previously participated in my election campaigns, providing assistance in crucial states (swing states) where we achieved 100% victories (seven wins out of seven states)."

According to Trump, "Katie has a proud and honorable record of support and loyalty, having been a dedicated and outstanding supporter from the beginning; she is also one of the most enthusiastic advocates of the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement."

He added: "I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she enjoys the respect of the media, the American people, and my administration, and will work with all of them skillfully and effectively."

Trump concluded: "Katie comes to succeed the wonderful Karoline Leavitt, who performed her duties as Press Secretary perfectly. Good luck, Katie."