Press secretary Katie Zacharia has referred to herself as a lawyer, then was asked which state bar she passed, and her answer was: ‘When I moved to China

Katie Zacharia, the White House’s new press secretary, was asked which state’s bar exam she had passed, and she replied, “When I moved to China.” President Donald Trump used the word attorney for her in his announcement of the appointment. According to the BBC, she has also identified as a lawyer in public.

She gave the answer while standing next to the president outside the White House. Helicopter noise covered the reporter’s question, the Associated Press reported. Zacharia said to The New York Times that she misheard and believed the reporter wanted to know where she went after law school.

When pressed on her qualifications, the White House released a statement from her. “I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” it said. Steven Cheung, who leads communications at the White House, described her as “uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people.”

Complaint filed with California State Bar

The watchdog Campaign for Accountability submitted a complaint to the State Bar of California on Wednesday. The group wants the bar to examine whether she described herself as qualified to practice law without holding a license, which California treats as a criminal offense. The filing points to at least 18 television appearances between February 2025 and October 2026, according to WLOS.

A bar spokesperson said its records show no license for Zacharia in California under her current or maiden name. The bar did not confirm receiving the complaint, citing confidentiality rules. Pepperdine University confirmed that Zacharia, 42, earned an undergraduate degree in 2007 and a law degree in 2011. A law school diploma is separate from the license needed to practice, which comes from passing a bar exam.

She also said to The New York Times that Pepperdine’s president advised her, early in her cable news appearances, that she could use the word lawyer but not attorney. The Wall Street Journal reported that she sat for the California exam after law school and was unsuccessful. She told Fox News host Sean Hannity that she took the test one time, according to Newsweek.

Zacharia then relocated to Beijing. Her profile on LinkedIn shows an associate position with the Zhong Lun Law Firm there from 2011 through 2013. China limits law licenses to its own citizens, though non-citizens can hold other positions inside the firms.

In February 2025, she described her China years on a conservative radio show. She said she had handled outside legal work tied to the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank while living in Beijing. The BBC said it asked both institutions and Zhong Lun for comment. It said it understands that the bank sometimes hires outside firms, which choose their own staff for assignments.

Her LinkedIn profile also lists a role as general counsel at Fix California, a nonprofit founded by Richard Grenell. She took over the press secretary job from Karoline Leavitt. The question came during one of several recent moments when the president faced reporters, including when Trump made his Nobel case earlier this month.