White House Spokesperson Faces First Test: Stumbling Debut and Legal Controversy Over Qualifications

The White House faced increasing questions on Wednesday regarding the legal qualifications of its new spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, following a stumbling first day in her role, during which she provided an inconclusive answer about where she passed the bar exam.

An American watchdog group filed a complaint with the State Bar of California demanding an investigation into whether President Donald Trump's spokesperson violated the law by presenting herself as a lawyer despite not holding a license to practice.

The organization "Campaign for Accountability" stated that Leavitt presented herself as a lawyer during television appearances and also identified herself as the general counsel for a conservative nonprofit organization based in California.

Michelle Coppersmith, the executive director of the group, said: "Leavitt repeatedly presented herself as a lawyer to enhance her reputation and credibility," adding: "The bar association should investigate whether Leavitt misled the public about her qualifications."

Trump described Leavitt as a "lawyer" when announcing her appointment on Friday, but journalists could find no record indicating that she holds a license to practice law in any US state.

The White House spokesperson told AFP: "I have practiced international transactional law, meeting all necessary qualifications," without clarifying whether she holds a license to practice law in the United States.

She did not specify where she was admitted to practice law, if at all. In response to reporters' questions on Tuesday about where she passed the bar exam, she answered: "When I moved to China."

Bar Association Responds
For its part, the State Bar of California confirmed to US media outlets that there is no record of Leavitt obtaining a license to practice, either under her married name or her maiden name.

Leavitt, aged 41, graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, but obtaining a law degree does not automatically qualify a person to practice law.

Foreigners are not permitted to take the bar exam in China, although they can perform specific legal work in Chinese law firms. Leavitt previously worked at a law firm in Beijing, according to her professional profile.

The 14-Minute Briefing
This controversy came after her stumbling debut as the official White House spokesperson on Tuesday, when she read extensively from prepared notes during a briefing that lasted only 14 minutes.

She limited herself to taking questions from three news organizations, all considered pro-Trump, and stumbled in providing some answers, once mistakenly referring to the President as her husband.

However, Trump praised her debut, telling journalists: "I saw that she was very good."