In brief
In an interview on Thursday, 15 October, Zacharia said China did not even have proper toilets when she returned from there in 2016, according to Adnkronos and Der Tagesspiegel.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, asked by a reporter, said Zacharia was welcome to come to China more often and see the situation for herself, reported on 16 October.
Zacharia moved to China with her husband in 2011 and worked for a law firm there, according to US media, and has since admitted failing the bar exam.
Her debut briefing on Tuesday, 13 October lasted under 15 minutes and included questions from three right-leaning outlets, and the Wall Street Journal reported doubts among Trump allies about her suitability.
- 13 OctFirst briefing as White House press secretary, lasting under 15 minutes
- 15 OctInterview in which she says China does not even have proper toilets
- 16 OctForeign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning invites her to visit China more often
The remark
Katie Zacharia, 41, became White House press secretary about a week before these remarks, after Donald Trump introduced her as the successor to Karoline Leavitt, who resigned. In an interview on Thursday, 15 October, she said that when she returned from China in 2016, everyone had been told that Hillary Clinton would win the presidency and that China was the next country on the horizon. She asked how China could be that country when it did not even have proper toilets. Adnkronos and Der Tagesspiegel named the interviewer as the influencer Jack Posobiec, while n-tv said she spoke to the conservative broadcaster Real America's Voice.
Beijing's reply
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, asked by a reporter in Beijing, smiled as she said Zacharia was welcome to come to China more often and see the conditions for herself. The reply was given in answer to a reporter's question, as n-tv and watson both describe it. Adnkronos, Der Tagesspiegel, n-tv and der Standard all carried the invitation in reports dated 16 October. Adnkronos placed the exchange against a trade war of tariffs and counter-tariffs between the two countries, along with tensions on various dossiers and smiles and handshakes between Trump and Xi Jinping.
Background and qualifications
Zacharia moved to China in 2011 with her husband after completing law studies in California, and according to several US outlets she worked for a renowned law firm there. Der Tagesspiegel reports that she calls herself a lawyer although she apparently never passed a US bar examination. n-tv reports that she has since admitted failing the bar exam. Der Tagesspiegel describes her as a former Fox News commentator, and n-tv calls her a former television commentator.
First briefing and doubts
Her debut in the White House briefing room took place on Tuesday, 13 October and lasted just under 15 minutes. She took questions only from three journalists from right-leaning outlets, and a slip in which she mixed up 'president' and 'husband' in one sentence drew laughter in the room. n-tv reports that she appeared nervous at times and stumbled over her words several times during that briefing. The Wall Street Journal reported doubts, including among Trump allies, about whether she was up to the job, and Adnkronos noted she had already drawn criticism for other episodes.