Fox News host Sean Hannity came to the defense of new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia on Tuesday evening, dismissing mainstream media criticism of her first press briefing and accusing reporters of holding her to a harsher standard than they applied to her predecessors.
Hannity Says the Press Is Playing Favorites
During his evening show, Hannity played a clip of Zacharia’s briefing that critics had widely panned. He pointed out that former President Joe Biden’s second press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, had her own rough moments over a multi-year tenure, and he argued that much of the same media had given Jean-Pierre a “pass” for four years.
“All right. A perfectly normal question and answer,” Hannity said before turning to his critique of the press corps.
“We have an abusively biased, corrupt news media in this country, the legacy media mob, as I affectionately refer to them. They are not interested in real questions and real answers. They are out for blood.”
Hannity said Zacharia had faced personal attacks, including mockery of her appearance, her hair and the way she speaks. He also said reporters had questioned her intelligence and credentials, and had even raised her bar exam.
“Could you imagine the press asking similar questions to Karine Jean-Pierre, asking about her background, her record?”
He added that the backlash had been swift and harsh, and he accused critics of hypocrisy for claiming to champion women in the workplace.
Zacharia Opens With Trump Praise
Zacharia opened the briefing Tuesday morning, and her remarks quickly drew attention. She thanked President Trump for his trust and expressed her enthusiasm for the role.
“Good morning. I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House press secretary. I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me.”
She also pointed to the midterm campaign, describing energy and excitement she said had never been seen before in midterm history, and credited Trump’s leadership for it. “President Trump delivers on every promise,” she said.
When asked about the midterm elections and Trump’s near-daily campaign travel, Zacharia praised the president’s rallies, saying, in her words, that he had delivered another “blockbuster rally” with an arena filled with enthusiasm.
Guilfoyle Resignation Announced
The briefing also produced a major headline. Zacharia announced that the Trump administration had asked Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, to resign after allegations of improper conduct.
“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her luck.”
A Loyalist Fills a High-Profile Vacancy
Trump had earlier announced on his Truth Social platform that Zacharia would become his next White House press secretary. He described her as a loyal supporter and said he expected her to work well with the press and with his administration.
The appointment fills the post vacated by Karoline Leavitt, who left the White House at the end of August. Leavitt, who had been the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary, departed after the birth of her second child and said she wanted to focus on her family.
The opening came at a consequential moment, just ahead of the November midterm elections, when the briefing room is closely watched. Zacharia brings experience in conservative media, administration communications and Trump’s own media company. She has most recently served as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates Truth Social.
