No ‘turmoil’ at the White House
By John Feehery, 19 Oct 2026
President Donald Trump dismissed White House press secretary Katie Zacharia after only five days on the job, a move that sparked speculation about instability in the administration. Zacharia’s brief tenure was marked by the announcement that former ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle had been removed from her post. Rumors also suggest that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth may be in danger, following Trump’s rejection of Hegseth’s proposal to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the 2009 Fort Hood shooter.
Comparisons are being drawn to past presidents who faced staff upheavals in their second terms. George W. Bush fired press secretary Scott McClellan and withdrew Harriet Miers’s Supreme Court nomination in 2006, after the midterms that saw Republicans lose control of Congress. Ronald Reagan’s team dealt with the Iran‑Contra fallout, Bill Clinton’s with the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Richard Nixon faced impeachment, and Barack Obama contended with the Benghazi controversy that also implicated Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Historically, the governing party has lost congressional seats in 18 of the last 20 midterm elections, a pattern that adds pressure to any incumbent administration.
The Trump administration is currently grappling with the ongoing US‑Israel conflict over Iran and rising energy costs, but the firing of a press secretary does not, in itself, signal a crisis. Zacharia’s background includes occasional media appearances and a short stint in the Department of Homeland Security’s press office during Kristi Noem’s brief tenure as secretary. Reports indicate that Trump made the hiring decision himself, with chief of staff Susie Wiles playing little role. Trump’s quick action, according to the administration, demonstrates control and counters media narratives that the White House is “falling apart” or “in turmoil.”
Critics note that other presidents have taken different approaches. President Joe Biden kept his spokesperson Karine Jean‑Pierre in place for three years, despite similar criticisms of competence. The episode highlights the challenges of selecting qualified staff and the potential embarrassment of having them removed publicly.
Trump receives credit for acting swiftly to replace Zacharia before the situation escalated, and for dismissing Guilfoyle over alleged misconduct in Europe. Nonetheless, the episode underscores the need for a more rigorous hiring process to avoid future missteps. The author’s views are personal and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.