Kimmel Gives Trump’s New Mouthpiece a Brutal Nickname After Disastrous Debut
The late-night host is wondering how long Katie Zacharia will last.
Jimmy Kimmel has some thoughts about Donald Trump’s new press secretary after her disastrous White House debut.
Katie Zacharia, 41, delivered a car-crash performance, stumbling over her words, barely answering any questions, and speaking slowly and painfully throughout.
Her debut led Kimmel to coin a new nickname for Trump’s new mouthpiece.
“Things did not get off to a great start for Malibu Katie today,” he quipped on Tuesday night.
"Malibu Katie" Zacharia made her White House debut on Tuesday.
Chip Somodevilla/Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
“Her first briefing was brief. It was only 14 minutes long, but even in that short time, she accomplished exactly what she was brought in to do, which is slobber a whole tube of lip gloss all over the president’s behind,” roasted Kimmel.
After playing clips of the former conservative commentator’s press briefing, Kimmel said, “Her reading is good for an 11-year-old. He hired a fourth grader to be press secretary.”
Zacharia answered only three questions, each from conservative news outlets: Breitbart’s Nick Gilbertson, Fox News’ Peter Doocy, and the Daily Mail’s Elina Shirazi. Her performance was so stilted that even administration insiders are questioning how long she can last, as Kimmel reported. “After her press conference this morning, a lot of people, including insiders at the White House, are said to be wondering how long this woman’s going to last,” he said.
Katie Zacharia arrives for her first press briefing at the White House.
JIM WATSON/Jim Watson, Getty Images
“But I’ll tell you what: if she keeps talking like this, I have a feeling she’ll be around for a long time to come,” Kimmel continued, referring to one of the most awkward moments in the entire run.
In one instance, Zacharia answered questions about her family. The mother of four said, “I love being with my kids. The idea of not spending evenings with my kid is—kids are—is completely, uh, unacceptable.” She went on to accidentally confuse “president” and “husband,” saying, “So my president—or excuse me, my husband, uh, that’s a, that’s a good one.”
She later accompanied President Donald Trump on a campaign visit to Alaska.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
Kimmel concluded that Zacharia better watch out for the ire of Trump’s most devoted aide: “Somebody’s going to wake up in the middle of the night tonight to find Natalie Harp clutching a kitchen knife.”
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Beyond the White House, people are placing bets on Zacharia’s tenure. On Kalshi, bettors are predicting a 99 percent chance that Zacharia will leave before Jan. 1, 2027.
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