Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Trump’s New Press Secretary’s Rocky Debut: ‘He Hired a Fourth Grader’
Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Trump’s New Press Secretary’s Rocky Debut: ‘He Hired a Fourth Grader’
David GilmourWed, October 14, 2026 at 10:15 AM UTC
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Kimmel jibed that Zacharia had the reading ability of an 11-year-old as he ran back some old clips from her cable news hits.
Jimmy Kimmel wasted little time welcoming President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to her new gig, mocking her reading skills and declaring that Trump had “hired a fourth grader” after her first appearance behind the briefing-room podium.
Zacharia made her debut Tuesday with a 14-minute briefing in which she took questions from just three outlets before wrapping up and directing reporters to Trump himself outside the White House.
Kimmel seized on the appearance hours later: “It was the first day of kindergarten for the new White House press secretary, Katie Zachariah. You know, Trump’s been president for quite a long time now. I think it’s been about what 50-60 years? And in order to keep him awake and interested, every six months they bring in a new fawning blonde dolt to add to the rotation.”
He continued: “Things did not get off to a great start for Malibu Katie today. 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.”
After airing footage of Zacharia slowly reading effusive praise of Trump from prepared remarks, telling reporters: “I have wanted to work for him for a very long time.”
“And really, that’s all it takes nowadays,” Kimmel responded. “All it takes is that and dressing like you’re about to announce pre-boarding on a Delta Airlines flight.”
Running another clip of Zacharia touting Trump’s midterm campaigning, Kimmel burst out laughing: “Her reading is good for an 11 year-old. He hired a fourth grader to be press secretary.”
The comedian then dug into Zacharia’s previous career as a conservative television commentator, calling her “a real piece of work” before airing cable news hits in which she promoted Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election being stolen, attacked Anthony Fauci, attacking Kimmel and predicted that The Odyssey would flop because it was a “woke movie.”
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“Well, that ‘woke’ movie went on to make $1.8 billion,” Kimmel said. “We got a smart one here.”
Airing the press secretary’s further slip – referring to the president as her husband – the comedian leapt in: “Oops! Somebody’s going to wake up in the middle of the night tonight eye to eye with Natalie Harp clutching a kitchen knife.”
Zacharia, who previously worked briefly as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and later for Trump Media, replaced Karoline Leavitt after Trump announced her appointment last week.
Her debut also drew scrutiny over her legal credentials after reporters pressed her about where she had passed the bar exam. In one awkward clip also shown by Kimmel, Zacharia informed the press she passed the bar in “China,” prompting further questions about her status as an attorney.
Trump nevertheless praised her performance later Tuesday, telling reporters: “I thought she did excellent. She did very good.”
Kimmel reached a different conclusion.
“Katie’s first outing was, as her boss might say, a total disaster,” he said. “I was impressed, though. You know how hard it is to become Trump’s worst press secretary that quickly?”
Watch above via ABC.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
