Donald Trump Told Ousted Press Secretary Katie Zacharia There Were “Other Ways to Make a Living”

Katie Zacharia has described a private exchange with Donald Trump after her brief and turbulent stint as White House press secretary ended. Speaking on October 26, the former official recalled that Trump told her, “You know, there are other ways to make a living,” when she was fired. Zacharia said the experience was difficult, but stressed the value she hoped her children would take from watching her go through it. She described the final evening as tough and said she wanted to show them the importance of maintaining character, loyalty and faithfulness even when circumstances turn against you. She added that she hoped they saw a mother standing firm while people mocked her, including some she had thought would support her. “If I went through that entire thing only to teach my kids to have integrity and to have loyalty, then I think it was worth it,” Zacharia said. Her remarks framed the short-lived appointment not just as a professional setback, but as a test of how she wanted to behave under pressure. Zacharia served as press secretary for five days, from October 12 to October 16, making her tenure the shortest in the position’s history, according to the article. She had taken over after Karoline Leavitt left the job in late August. Zacharia’s first briefing, on October 13, lasted about 14 minutes. She spent roughly eight minutes delivering prepared remarks that thanked Trump, discussed wage growth and manufacturing jobs, mentioned energy initiatives and pointed to lower prescription-drug prices. During that briefing, she also announced that the White House had requested Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation as U.S. ambassador to Greece. The article describes Zacharia’s departure as abrupt and notes that her final evening in the role coincided with the day after her eldest son’s birthday. She said the night included dinner with Vice President JD Vance. Her account offers a rare description of the moments surrounding her exit and the lesson she says she wants her children to draw from it. Zacharia’s recollection of Trump’s parting remark adds a pointed detail to an appointment that lasted less than a week.