Trump tells new White House spokesperson Katie Zacharia to consider standing down

Donald Trump has told his new White House press secretary she should reconsider her role.

The US president said Katie Zacharia had been treated "pretty nastily" by some sections of the media and he wanted her to be "happy".

It follows scrutiny over her claim to be a lawyer despite not passing the bar exam.

Fox News, citing a White House official, later reported that Zacharia ‌was "transitioning" out of the role.

Ms Zacharia was appointed last week but her debut appearance taking questions from reporters was widely criticised.

President Trump said she'd told him the job was "a lot tougher", but he would "let her make that decision" [on whether to resign].

"She's a nice person and she's been treated roughly," the president told reporters.

He said he'd asked her if she wanted to "really live like this" as the media would probably not "ease up" on her.

Mr Trump added: "I said to her, honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it, but I would reconsider."

Ms Zacharia, who received a law degree from Pepperdine University, has repeatedly referred to herself as a lawyer in media appearances.

A watchdog yesterday filed a complaint into whether she violated the law by inflating her legal resume.

She told Fox News she had consulted "attorneys and legal professionals" who told her it was acceptable to call herself a lawyer as she attended a "reputable law school" and had "legal experience".

The 42-year-old also said she had "practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials" while living in China with her husband.

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Why doesn’t Trump trust Katie Zacharia?

Doubts were also raised over that claim as the country requires Chinese citizenship to pass the bar exam there.

Ms Zacharia's first time taking questions on behalf of the Trump administration was only on Tuesday, when she spoke for an unusually short 15 minutes and took just three questions.

She spent more than half that time reading pre-prepared remarks.

Asked by Fox News if the US had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, she told the reporter she would "have to get back to you on that".

There was also an embarrassing slip when she referred to "my president" instead of "my husband".

The mother-of-four first became known publicly as a conservative commentator and often appeared on Fox News and also right-wing media.

The long-time Trump loyalist worked for the company behind his Truth Social platform, and briefly in the Department of Homeland Security press office.

Ms Zacharia always had a tough act follow, with predecessor Karoline Leavitt widely praised for how she performed in the role.