Former Representative George Santos said he would jump at the chance to be President Donald Trump’s press secretary, hours after Katie Zacharia announced her departure from the role. Just saying,” the former Republican congressman from New York wrote on X Friday night. There is no indication that Santos is being considered for the role.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment on who will replace Zacharia. A White House official confirmed to Newsweek on Friday that Zacharia was “transitioning” out of the role after just five days on the job. Santos was expelled from Congress in late 2023 and convicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Trump commuted his sentence in October 2025 after he had served three months in prison. Zacharia faced intense criticism following her first and only press briefing Tuesday, as questions mounted over her legal background. Although a law license is not required for the role, she has described herself as a lawyer despite not passing a U.S. bar exam.
The conservative commentator graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school and sat for the bar exam in 2011 but did not pass. She called the result “inconsequential” because she knew she would be moving to China. She also got married that same week.
Zacharia was then grilled by Fox News host Sean Hannity about her legal background Thursday night. Santos criticized Hannity’s handling of the interview. The State Bar of California previously told Newsweek it had no record of Zacharia being licensed to practice law in the state under either her married or maiden name.
On Friday, Trump told reporters he had advised Zacharia to “reconsider” her position. I’m going to let her make that decision.” Friday night, Zacharia thanked Trump for the opportunity, saying it was an honor to work for him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to.” Conservative commentator and part-time Trump adviser Laura Loomer has also floated herself for the position.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
