Katie Zacharia is leaving her White House position less than five days after making her public debut as press secretary, following intense scrutiny over her first briefing and questions about her legal credentials. US President Donald Trump indicated that he had encouraged her to reconsider the role shortly before news of her departure emerged.

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Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he had told Zacharia that she did not have to continue if she did not want to. He also suggested that she should reconsider the position, saying he believed she had been treated harshly by the media.

Zacharia's departure follows a difficult first appearance at the White House press briefing room on Tuesday. The briefing lasted fewer than 15 minutes and included just three questions from reporters, drawing criticism over her handling of the session and readiness for the high-profile communications role.

In the days that followed, Zacharia faced repeated questions about her professional background and qualifications. Her legal credentials became a central point of discussion after she was described as an attorney by Trump and others.

During Tuesday's briefing, a reporter asked where she had passed the bar examination, which is generally required for lawyers to practise in a US state. Zacharia responded, “When I was in China,” prompting further questions about her professional history.

After media scrutiny intensified, she acknowledged on Thursday that she had not passed the bar examination. However, she said in a statement that she had practised international transaction law in China with the appropriate credentials.

The issue received further attention during an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News on Thursday, when the conservative television host questioned her about her background and qualifications.

Despite the controversy, Zacharia publicly praised Trump on social media on Friday. In a post on X, she described him as “kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and the most hardworking man,” adding that it had been an honour to work for him.

Her exit has also become a political talking point as the United States approaches the November midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Democrats have used the abrupt departure to criticise the Republican administration.

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, reacted to the news on X, writing that the White House press secretary was gone and claiming that “Maga extremists continue to fall apart.”

Trump, meanwhile, defended Zacharia against what he described as unfair treatment by journalists. His comments suggested that he believed the pressure surrounding the position had become a significant burden for her.

The abrupt end to Zacharia's tenure highlights the scrutiny facing senior White House communications officials, whose public briefings can quickly become a focus of political debate. Questions about her credentials and performance dominated her brief time in the role, overshadowing the administration's efforts to communicate its agenda.