Dropped the Hammer: Zacharia Stuns WH Press With News in First Briefing

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia took to the Brady Briefing Room podium Tuesday, a mere four days after her sudden hiring by President Trump, and stunned the mostly liberal, elitist press corps with a 14-minute briefing that, along with outlining the President’s accomplishments and upcoming schedule, included a biting revelation that he had asked U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign in light of this story from The Wall Street Journal.

The response came following a question from The Daily Mail’s Elina Shirazi, who was one of only three reporters called on: “On Kimberly Guilfoyle, The Daily Mail has been reporting on her since last year. The President said yesterday to reporters that he is considering firing her. Do you know a timeline for that? And also potentially who could be on the short list to replace her if he does?”

Zacharia didn’t mince words or offer a Karine Jean-Pierre-esque stammering word salad. She cut right to the point: “We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.”

That left reporters stunned, including a visibly shocked Shawn McCreesh of The New York Times.

If the press receive direct and pointed answers to burning, genuine questions like this, Zacharia’s tenure will be an unquestionable success.

Shirazi’s other question closed out the briefing and concerned her personal life. Specifically, she wanted to know how Zacharia, as the mother of four, planned “to manage” the job and if she had received any advice on being a working mom in the White House from predecessor Karoline Leavitt.

Zacharia heaped praise on her husband, Leavitt, and President Trump, whom she credited for being “the most family-friendly President we’ve ever had” and “hired more women with families, and the fact that he knew I had four kids, and he knew that this job would be demanding, and still placed his trust in me shows that I know I’m capable of being able to step up to that.”

Going back to the top, Zacharia opened by thanking Trump for “the trust that he has placed in me” as someone she’s “wanted to work for...for a very long time.”

She also delivered a recap of the President’s Monday night rally in Youngstown, Ohio, his upcoming rallies, and what the President has done to increase the earning power of everyday Americans (including some economic statistics the liberal, elitist press love to ignore):

She continued to expound on the theme of business investment flowing into the United States 

The third and final portion of Zacharia’s marathon opening statement touched on issues she’s sadly all too familiar with as a longtime Californian, which are fraud, the border, and drugs:

Appearing for at least a third go-around in the new media seat was the great Nick Gilbertson from our friends at Breitbart News.

Importantly, Gilbertson first asked if she’d commit to continuing to “open this [Briefing] Room up to more voices, not less...whether that’s adding this new media seat” or “adding new media voices to the pool.”

“[C]an you tell us what you plan to do to continue to ensure that new media voices continue to be heard here at the White House,” he added.

After Zacharia said she would not only keep the “new media seat” but expand upon it, Gilbertson inquired about Trump’s travel schedule. This led to Zacharia revealing a Kentucky rally would be added to the President’s future:

Fox’s Peter Doocy was the only other reporter called on, and, as always, he made it count.

He first asked if, as a general matter, she views her job as “just...speak[ing] about White House matters, or is it to make things less tough for Republicans in the midterms.”

Zacharia insisted she would continue “what I was doing on the outside already, which was hoping to amplify, multiply, and expand upon President Trump’s incredible agenda for the American people, and what I hope to do in this position is to take that into an official capacity and only build on, only amplify, and only multiply to the extent possible all of the wins he’s making for Americans...in this brief period of time[.]”

Doocy’s other question concerned Ukraine:

Following Shirazi’s questions, Zacharia told reporters she would have to end the briefing “because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska, and we can ask him all of the questions out there.”

To see the transcript of Zacharia’s first briefing from October 13, click here.