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White House offers Katie Zacharia press secretary job, succeeding Karoline Leavitt

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 35 outlets across the spectrum.

52 articles in total, 4 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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The White House has offered Katie Zacharia the job of press secretary, succeeding Karoline Leavitt, according to White House officials who confirmed the offer to several outlets. Zacharia is a conservative commentator and a communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, and she previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security. Reports differ on whether she has been formally appointed: some say she has been named or picked, while others say she was offered the post. Her age is given as 41 in some reports and 42 in another. On Saturday she appeared on Fox & Friends Weekend, where she said “this job is not about me” and praised Trump.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The White House has offered Katie Zacharia the job of press secretary, according to White House officials.

    Reported byFar Left1Left2Center4Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    Bloomberg, The New York Times
    Center
    The Hill, CNBC, BBC News, Newsweek
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire

  2. Zacharia would succeed Karoline Leavitt, who left the role in August.

    Reported byFar Left1Left2Center1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    Bloomberg, The New York Times
    Center
    Newsweek
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire

  3. Zacharia is a conservative commentator and a communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center3Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    The Hill, CNBC, BBC News
    Right
    Daily Mail

  4. Zacharia previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire

  5. In her first appearance as press secretary on Fox & Friends Weekend, Zacharia said the job was not about her and praised Trump.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Right
    Daily Mail

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Zacharia has been appointed or named press secretary.

    The Hill, CNBC and BBC News, citing White House officials, say she has been offered the post; Bloomberg, Newsweek, The New York Times and the Daily Mail say she has been appointed, named or picked.

  • Zacharia is 41 years old.

    The Daily Wire and the Daily Beast give her age as 41; The New Republic gives it as 42.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three sides report that the White House has offered or named Katie Zacharia as press secretary to succeed Karoline Leavitt. Left outlets stress her Trump Media ties and mock her Fox debut; right outlets stress her DHS background and praise for Trump.

  • the left

    15 outlets · 1 opinion

    Mainstream left headlines report the pick neutrally, while Far Left outlets mock Zacharia as a Fox News guest and MAGA adviser, using ‘Blond’ and ‘Awkward Debut’ framing.

    Katie Zacharia Picked as the New White House Press Secretary
    The New York TimesLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    6 outlets

    Center headlines report that Zacharia was offered the post, usually attributing the news to a White House official, and describe her by her commentary and Trump Media roles.

    Katie Zacharia offered White House press secretary post
    The HillCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    14 outlets · 2 opinion

    Right headlines report the offer or replacement as news; the Daily Mail debut headline centers her enthusiasm, while the Far Right Townhall frames the pick as a forecast drawn from other outlets’ reports.

    Trump Makes Offer To Replace Karoline Leavitt
    The Daily WireFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left23

    41-year-old blondeofficial replacementICE Barbieinner ring

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right9

    ardent defendertrusted allyabruptly walking out of the jobex mouthpiece

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded modifier

    ardent defenderMore neutral: frequent supporter

    The label characterizes Zacharia’s views with an intensifying judgement, where a neutral description of her public support for the president would do.

    Zacharia is a frequent guest on Fox News where she is an ardent defender of President Trump.

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    41-year-old blondeMore neutral: Katie Zacharia, 41

    Leading with her hair color adds a dismissive note about her appearance that is not relevant to her qualifications or the news.

    The 41-year-old blonde, who briefly worked under Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security, is…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Absolutist framing

    official replacementMore neutral: reported replacement

    The word official presents the selection as confirmed, while the sentence attributes it to two sources speaking to the New York Times.

    …worked under Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security, is the official replacement for Karoline Leavitt, two sources tell The New York Times .

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    ICE BarbieMore neutral: Katie Zacharia

    The nickname mocks the new press secretary and links her to an agency without establishing any fact about her role there.

    Trump Makes ICE Barbie Aide, 41, New Press Secretary

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Show 28 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    trusted allyMore neutral: senior adviser

    The label describes her relationship to Trump with a favorable judgement that the facts do not establish.

    President Donald Trump tapped a trusted ally from the company behind his Truth Social platform to become his next White House…

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    inner ringMore neutral: selection

    The phrase suggests an exclusive clique, a judgement the report of her selection does not establish.

    The news of Zacharia’s ascension to the White House inner ring was first reported by The New York Times and confirmed by CBS News .

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Blond Fox News GuestMore neutral: Trump Names Katie Zacharia as Press Secretary

    The headline describes Zacharia by her hair color and TV appearances to diminish her, which the appointment itself does not require.

    Trump Appoints Another Blond Fox News Guest as Press Secretary

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    abruptly walking out of the jobMore neutral: left the job

    Abruptly walking out adds drama and judgement to a departure that could be described neutrally.

    …lasted just six weeks as a DHS spokeswoman earlier this year before abruptly walking out of the job in March.

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    ex mouthpieceMore neutral: former spokesperson

    Calling her a mouthpiece pre-judges her as a partisan voice rather than describing her job.

    Trump taps Kristi Noem's ex mouthpiece Katie Zacharia to replace Karoline Leavitt for White House press secretary

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    mouthpieceMore neutral: spokesperson

    The word implies she will repeat the administration’s line without independent judgment, which the article does not establish.

    …Zacharia, a former DHS spokesperson and cable news talking head, will be the new mouthpiece for the administration

    Used byRolling Stone (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Far-RightMore neutral: conservative commentator

    The label goes beyond the conservative commentator wording other outlets use for the same person.

    Trump Taps Far-Right Commentator as New Press Secretary

    Used byRolling Stone (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    major reshufflingMore neutral: reshuffling

    The word major adds weight to a routine staff change that the facts do not establish as major.

    In a major reshuffling of the administration's communications team, 42-year-old attorney and…

    Used byOne America News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    brutally snubbedMore neutral: did not choose

    The adverb and verb cast the decision as cruel, a judgement beyond the reported choice.

    Donald Trump has brutally snubbed the one-time favorite to succeed Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary.…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    token MAGA hostMore neutral: conservative CNN host

    The word token labels Jennings as a symbolic figure, a judgement the article does not support.

    Critics of CNN’s token MAGA host took a victory lap Friday after the president passed over Scott Jennings, 48, to…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    newest mouthpieceMore neutral: newest press secretary

    Mouthpiece implies Zacharia only repeats others’ views, a judgement the article does not establish.

    …48, to hire conservative commentator Katie Zacharia, 41, as the White House’s newest mouthpiece.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    token MAGA punditMore neutral: conservative CNN commentator

    The word token labels Jennings as a symbolic figure, a judgement the article does not support.

    …to be the next press secretary will have to settle for remaining as CNN’s token MAGA pundit.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    HumiliatedMore neutral: Passed Over

    The word describes Jennings’s feelings as settled fact and adds drama without supporting detail in the article.

    Scott Jennings Humiliated After Brutal Trump Snub

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    BrutalMore neutral: Trump Chooses Another Candidate

    The adjective characterizes the decision with a judgement about its manner that the article does not document.

    Scott Jennings Humiliated After Brutal Trump Snub

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    StupendousMore neutral: video compilation

    Adds promotional praise to a video compilation, which a neutral label describes without judging it.

    Watch: Stupendous Supercut Video of New White House Press Sec Katie Zacharia in Action

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    whoppersMore neutral: false claims

    Calls the claims lies in the outlet’s own voice without establishing that they are false.

    President Donald Trump’s new press secretary has a history of spreading whoppers, including an extreme take about the origins of the abortion pill mifepristone.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    extreme takeMore neutral: claim

    Characterizes the claim as extreme without giving the claim’s content.

    …Trump’s new press secretary has a history of spreading whoppers, including an extreme take about the origins of the abortion pill mifepristone.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    BustedMore neutral: faces scrutiny over

    Implies the claim was caught and refuted, which the headline does not show.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Busted Peddling Bonkers Nazi Claim

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    PeddlingMore neutral: stating

    Describes the claim as being sold, which adds a judgement of intent.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Busted Peddling Bonkers Nazi Claim

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    BonkersMore neutral: disputed

    Dismisses the claim with a slang insult instead of describing it.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Busted Peddling Bonkers Nazi Claim

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    NaziMore neutral: about the origins of

    Links the claim to Nazism without explaining the link in the supplied text.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Busted Peddling Bonkers Nazi Claim

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    abruptly leavingMore neutral: leaving

    Implies an unexplained departure, while the article’s own text ties her exit to other departures.

    …this year as deputy spokeswoman for the 270,000-person federal department before abruptly leaving her post around the time then-Secretary Kristi Noem and special government…

    Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    toutedMore neutral: described

    Suggests boasting in the outlet’s own voice rather than reporting that she described her policies.

    …called Donald Trump 'the most energetic, intense president we have ever seen' and touted his policies as 'the most effective [and] most exciting.'

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    ExcitedMore neutral: Zacharia makes her debut

    Describes the subject’s emotional state in the outlet’s own voice, which the reporting does not establish.

    Excited Katie Zacharia makes her debut as Trump's new press secretary and claims 'this job is…

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    awkwardly fawned overMore neutral: praised

    Characterizes her manner toward Trump in the outlet’s own voice rather than describing what she said.

    Zacharia, 41, awkwardly fawned over her new boss in a softball interview on Fox & Friends that was focused on her…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Runs toMore neutral: Appears on

    Suggests an eager or hurried move in the outlet’s own voice, while the reporting describes only an interview appearance.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Runs to Fox News for Awkward Debut

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Awkward DebutMore neutral: First Appearance

    Judges her performance in the outlet’s own voice before the reader has seen it.

    Trump’s New Press Secretary Runs to Fox News for Awkward Debut

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    RantsMore neutral: said or spoke

    Dismisses the content by characterizing the delivery.

    Trump’s New Mouthpiece’s Deleted MAGA Rants Exposed

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded modifier

    Quoted

    outstandingMore neutral: has worked in the role

    This is Trump’s own evaluation of her work, presented as praise rather than as reported fact.

    …Advisor to Truth Social (Trump Media & Technology Group), where she has been outstanding!

    Quoted byBreitbart News (Far Right)

    Inside a quotation: the outlets are reporting someone else’s words.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

15 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Zacharia’s Trump Media and conservative ties
  • Leavitt’s move to Fox News
  • Her Fox & Friends debut and praise of Trump

Leaves out

  • Her Department of Homeland Security background is mentioned only briefly

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 16 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

6 outlets

Leads with

  • White House official confirmation
  • Her commentator and Trump Media roles
  • Succession from Karoline Leavitt
See the 6 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

14 outlets · 2 opinion

Leads with

  • Trump’s offer and White House confirmation
  • Her Department of Homeland Security and Noem background
  • Her praise of Trump in her debut

Leaves out

  • Leavitt’s August exit to Fox News

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 16 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    4 hr 29 min later

    Its first report, Oct 9, 2:08 PM EDT

  • Center

    4 hr 51 min later

    Its first report, Oct 9, 2:30 PM EDT

  • Right

    First to report

    The Daily Wire, Oct 9, 9:39 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Daily WireFar RightOct 9, 9:39 AM EDT
  2. BloombergLeftOct 9, 2:08 PM EDT
  3. New York PostRightOct 9, 2:08 PM EDT
  4. The New York TimesLeftOct 9, 2:13 PM EDT
  5. TownhallFar RightOct 9, 2:15 PM EDT
  6. Washington ExaminerRightOct 9, 2:15 PM EDT
  7. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 9, 2:22 PM EDT
  8. Fox NewsFar RightOct 9, 2:28 PM EDT
  9. The New RepublicFar LeftOct 9, 2:28 PM EDT
  10. The HillCenterOct 9, 2:30 PM EDT
  11. NBC NewsLeftOct 9, 2:30 PM EDT
  12. The GuardianLeftOct 9, 2:31 PM EDT
  13. The Daily SignalFar RightOct 9, 2:36 PM EDT
  14. CBS NewsLeftOct 9, 2:36 PM EDT
  15. CNBCCenterOct 9, 2:38 PM EDT
  16. BBC NewsCenterOct 9, 2:38 PM EDT
  17. Daily MailRightOct 9, 2:39 PM EDT
  18. ABC NewsLeftOct 9, 2:41 PM EDT
  19. NewsweekCenterOct 9, 2:46 PM EDT
  20. TIMELeftOct 9, 2:46 PM EDT
  21. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 9, 2:49 PM EDT
  22. The Daily CallerFar RightOct 9, 2:55 PM EDT
  23. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 9, 3:01 PM EDT
  24. The Washington PostLeftOct 9, 3:07 PM EDT
  25. The IndependentLeftOct 9, 3:08 PM EDT
  26. The Washington TimesRightOct 9, 3:13 PM EDT
  27. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 9, 3:14 PM EDT
  28. The Western JournalFar RightOct 9, 3:32 PM EDT
  29. One America NewsFar RightOct 9, 3:43 PM EDT
  30. HuffPostFar LeftOct 9, 4:20 PM EDT
  31. Business InsiderLeftOct 9, 4:46 PM EDT
  32. TheBlazeFar RightOct 9, 4:49 PM EDT
  33. SalonFar LeftOct 9, 5:48 PM EDT
  34. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 9, 7:12 PM EDT
  35. Sky NewsCenterOct 9, 7:35 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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