White House official says Zacharia loses press secretary job

Katie Zacharia has been let go as White House press secretary just days after taking the job, The Korea Times reported, citing an unnamed White House official. Her departure followed scrutiny of her legal credentials and President Donald Trump's public account of urging her to reconsider the position.

The departure leaves the White House changing its chief spokesperson shortly after Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt. Trump had introduced Zacharia as an attorney, but she subsequently said she had not passed the bar, according to The Korea Times.

Zacharia began work Monday and made her first appearance at a White House briefing Tuesday, according to The Korea Times. Her tenure ended within the week she started.

She said she had been contacted about the position the previous Wednesday and received an offer the following Friday, the newspaper reported. She was selected to replace Leavitt.

Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in California, according to the report. In an interview with Fox News, she said she had not passed the bar.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House, Trump said he had encouraged Zacharia to think again about the job. He questioned whether she could be happy in a role he described as difficult, The Korea Times reported.

Fox News also reported her departure, citing a White House official who said she was moving out of the press secretary position. That account described a transition, while the official cited by The Korea Times said she had been dismissed.

The Korea Times noted another short tenure in Trump's first administration: Anthony Scaramucci served as communications director for 10 days.