Zacharia blames media for troubled stint as White House press secretary

Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has broken her silence 10 days after her abrupt departure from the administration.

Ms Zacharia's legal credentials came under scrutiny after a truncated first press briefing raised questions over her suitability for the position.

It all seemed to come crashing down for Ms Zacharia after a couple of appearances on Fox News, where she admitted to not passing the bar exam.

In a media appearance at the time, US President Donald Trump told reporters he had advised her to reconsider the position, ending her tenure after just five days in the office.

The pair appeared to part ways cordially, with Mr Trump accusing the media of treating her "pretty nastily".

Ms Zacharia later penned an op-ed for the New York Post saying the "call" to serve the president was an "honor" she was proud of.

"I've always wanted to work for President Donald Trump," she wrote.

"Being back in California feels like an interlude, a temporary pause between the work that matters most," she wrote.

Appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored this week, Ms Zacharia doubled down on her loyalty to Mr Trump and did not rule out working for his administration if the offer came up again.

"I would love to work for the president again," Ms Zacharia told Morgan on Wednesday, local time.

She said she had since returned to her native home of California, where she plans to continue to "fight" for Mr Trump, whom she described as a "force of nature" and an "incredible president to serve".

When Morgan asked about the firestorm after her first press briefing and the backlash over the misrepresentation of her legal credentials, Ms Zacharia blamed the media for setting the public on a "red herring trail" that detracted attention from Mr Trump ahead of crucial midterm elections.

As she continued to pledge her loyalty to Mr Trump, Morgan accused her of being a "robot".

"Has Donald Trump got some program plugged into you to make you say all of this?" he asked.

The United States goes to the polls next week when voters will decide which major party will control the House of Representatives and the Senate for the remainder of Mr Trump's administration.

Ms Zacharia, a staunch supporter of Mr Trump since his first term in office, told Morgan initial polling showed the Senate race would be "tight" and the House would prove to be an "uphill battle".

In the lead-up to the midterms, Mr Trump has drawn criticism for attempting to block alleged non-citizens from voting in California.

Meanwhile, he has continued to host rallies around the country, recently addressing Ms Zacharia's departure from the White House at one.

"She was a perfect, beautiful woman when she walked into that press room," he told the crowd.

He blamed the media for "scaring" the former press secretary, telling the crowd he told her there are easier ways to make a living.

Mr Trump has yet to appoint the next press secretary, earlier saying he had no plans to until after the midterms.

ABC