Susie Wiles ‘Set Up’ Katie Zacharia? Fox News Interview Sparks White House Exit Claims

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles reportedly helped arrange Katie Zacharia’s appearance on Fox News shortly before the newly appointed press secretary was dismissed after just five days in the role, raising questions about internal tensions in President Donald Trump’s administration.

The interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity aired Thursday night and focused on Zacharia’s troubled start, including criticism of her first White House press briefing and questions about her legal credentials. She was removed from the position on Friday, following a series of difficult media appearances.

Two people familiar with internal discussions said Wiles helped arrange the interview, according to reports. One source described the appearance as a “sanctioned hit” against Zacharia, who reportedly was not Wiles’ preferred candidate for the job. However, White House officials disputed the suggestion that Wiles had arranged the interview to undermine her.

Fox News Interview Puts Zacharia’s Credentials Under Scrutiny

During the interview, Hannity questioned Zacharia about her first White House press briefing, which lasted approximately 14 minutes and included three questions from reporters representing friendly media outlets.

The discussion also focused on her legal background after questions emerged about whether she had passed the California bar exam. Zacharia acknowledged that she failed the examination in 2011 and had not retaken it.

The controversy intensified after she initially told a reporter that she had taken the bar exam while living in China. She later acknowledged that she had not passed the California examination and said she had practiced international transaction law in China with the appropriate credentials.

Hannity also questioned her about social media posts identifying her as an attorney. Zacharia said the posts were retweets and that she had not intended to endorse the title. She added that legal professionals had told her she could describe herself as a lawyer.

A senior White House official reportedly said Zacharia’s Fox News appearance, followed by an appearance on Fox & Friends on Friday morning, contributed to her departure.

White House Disputes Claims Wiles Orchestrated the Interview

The reported involvement of Wiles has prompted questions about whether internal disagreements contributed to Zacharia’s abrupt exit. However, the available reporting does not establish that Wiles arranged the interview specifically to force her out.

A senior White House official disputed the suggestion that Wiles had orchestrated the appearance to undermine Zacharia, arguing that the chief of staff did not need to arrange such an encounter. White House communications director Steven Cheung also dismissed the reporting as speculation.

Fox News Media said Hannity independently decides whom he interviews and what questions he asks.

Trump addressed Zacharia’s departure on Friday, saying he had advised her to consider whether the press secretary position was right for her. Referring to her television appearances, he said Hannity and Fox & Friends had been “a little tough” on her.

“I told her, ‘You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,'” Trump told reporters.

The competing accounts leave the central allegation unresolved: Wiles reportedly helped arrange the interview, but the available information does not establish that she intended it to undermine Zacharia or cause her dismissal.

Zacharia’s Five-Day Tenure Ends Mid-Interview

Zacharia’s departure unfolded while she was discussing her plans for the press office in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Friday. According to the newspaper’s account, Trump adviser Jason Miller interrupted the conversation to tell her that Vice President JD Vance wanted to speak with her.

Zacharia left the interview and did not return, marking the end of her five-day tenure. She had taken over the position following Karoline Leavitt’s departure.

Speaking to the Journal after her dismissal, Zacharia said she had less than 24 hours to prepare for her first briefing and received background information only on the morning of the event.

“I did everything in my power to effectuate a briefing in the limited time and information I had,” she said, adding that her goal had been to serve Trump and the American people to the best of her ability.

She also said she had found it difficult to turn down requests because she wanted to work as part of the team, while maintaining that she did not blame the White House for asking her to face reporters so quickly.

Before her departure, Zacharia had said she did not intend to make staffing changes and wanted to maintain cohesion within the press office.

Her exit leaves the White House communications role vacant less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.

The episode has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding Zacharia’s unusually brief tenure. While reports point to Wiles’ alleged role in arranging the Fox News interview, White House officials have rejected the suggestion that it was coordinated to undermine Zacharia, leaving the claim disputed.