Karoline Leavitt breaks silence on her replacement Katie Zacharia's sudden firing by Trump

Karoline Leavitt breaks silence on her replacement Katie Zacharia's sudden firing by Trump US President Donald Trump fired his new press secretary Katie Zacharia after five days in the job, leaving him without a spokesperson just weeks before the country's midterm elections Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has commented after her replacement was fired after just five days on the job. Leavitt also said she offered to help US President Donald Trump choose "someone who can serve him and the country well". Mr Trump sacked his new press secretary Katie Zacharia on Friday, October 16 after one briefing and mounting questions over her qualifications. She was appointed on Monday, October 12. The departure has left the US president without a public messenger just over two weeks before November's midterm elections. Speaking with FOX News Digital's Paul Steinhauser, Ms Leavitt said, "Well, look, White House Press Secretary is a tough job. "I know that because I did it, obviously, for almost two years. And many people say it's one of the hardest jobs in politics." Ms Leavitt said the job "takes a lot of preparation." She added: "And sometimes you don't know how someone will perform until they go out there. "So, look, as the president said, we wish Katie the best. The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well. "And I think - I know the President is continuing to look over options." Mr Trump's former spokesperson said the role is highly sought-after. She added that she had "offered my help to the President to help him select someone who can serve him and the country well." Asked what advice she would give if the US leader if he asked for it, Ms Leavitt was evasive. "Well, I'll keep my private counsel to the President private," she said. "But I do obviously talk to him about what the job entails, and he knows it very well," she added. "Nobody understands the press better than Donald Trump." According to Leavitt, the president needs someone who "is tough, who is smart, who understands his policies, who is loyal, and who can go out there and put up a fight." "There's a lot of qualified people who can have it," Leavitt continued. "It's just up to the president to make that decision." Mr Trump said last week that he had asked Ms Zacharia to "reconsider" her position within his administration after a messy first week. According to Trump, the decision was hers, but the tone of official statements alluded to Ms Zacharia being sacked. "Katie's been treated very badly by the media. Very, very badly. Very unfairly, I think. And I just spoke to her about it. I said, Katie, is this for you?" he told reporters. "Because, you know, she's been treated very rough," he added. "And she's a nice person. Very nice person. I've watched her on television for years. But I said, is this for you, Katie? "You don't need this. You don't have to be treated. I would say the fake news, but just generally, the media has been very rough." Mr Trump recounted her appearance on Sean Hannity on Thursday. He said he saw the interview on Friday morning and said, "She's been treated, I would say, pretty nastily." Mr Trump also told Ms Zacharia, "You don't have to do this if you don't want to." "I said to her, 'Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider'," he said. "You think about it. But I would reconsider. She's got a beautiful husband and family. I met the family yesterday. Beautiful kids. It's like a picture postcard." The White House, when asked by The Mirror US for comment, pointed to a tweet reading, "A senior White House official tells @pdoocy Katie ZACHARIA is 'transitioning out' of the press secretary position." Ms Zacharia announced her departure from the White House in a post on X. "President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man," she wrote. "I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to," she added. "It was an honour to work for him."