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Newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds a news briefing in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP
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Firstpost•16-10-2026, 14:42
White House Press Secretary Zacharia Sparks Controversy Over China Toilet Remarks
  • •White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia claimed in an interview that China lacked proper toilets during her past stay there.
  • •Zacharia made the remarks during an interview with right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec, recalling her impressions from 2016.
  • •Her comments risk contradicting US President Donald Trump's recent efforts to mend diplomatic ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • •Zacharia has also faced scrutiny regarding her legal credentials and failure to clarify where she passed the bar exam.

Key Questions Answered

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia claimed during an interview that China lacked proper toilets when she visited the country in 2016, questioning its status as an emerging global power.

Questions were raised about Zacharia's legal credentials because she and Donald Trump referred to her as an attorney, but she gave an inconclusive answer regarding where she passed the bar exam. She later explained she registered for the exam, but was distracted by moving to China and did not retake it upon returning to the US due to having a child.

Katie Zacharia was appointed as the new White House press secretary on October 9, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, and she delivered her first White House press briefing on Tuesday.