White House defends new press secretary amid questions over legal credentials

The White House is currently defending its newly appointed press secretary, Katie Zacharia, amidst growing scrutiny over her legal credentials. Questions intensified this week after President Donald Trump introduced Zacharia as an "attorney," and she herself has frequently used the title "lawyer". However, reports indicate she is not registered with any state bar association in the United States. When directly asked which state bar exam she passed, Zacharia controversially responded, "When I moved to China," later clarifying to the New York Times that she misheard the question.

While Zacharia holds a law degree from Pepperdine University, which she earned in 2011, a law degree alone does not permit one to practice law in the U.S.. Furthermore, it has been reported that she did not pass the California bar exam, and foreign nationals are not permitted to take the bar exam in China. The White House communications director, Steven Cheung, has stated that Zacharia is "uniquely qualified and whip smart" for her role, and Zacharia herself affirmed that she "practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials".

Amidst these revelations, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability has filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association. The group is seeking an investigation into whether Zacharia illegally presented herself as entitled to practice law without a license, an action considered a crime under California law. Zacharia also claimed that Pepperdine's president advised her that using the term "lawyer" was appropriate for her, but not "attorney".