White House press secretary Katie Zacharia faces questions about her legal credentials

MouthpieceMore neutral: Press secretary

The word casts the press secretary as a mere instrument of the president rather than naming her office.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Cornered on Mysterious Legal Credentials

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

CorneredMore neutral: Questioned

The verb implies a trap or defeat, while the description says only that reporters pressed her with questions.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Cornered on Mysterious Legal Credentials

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

MysteriousMore neutral: Unexplained

The adjective implies concealment that the reporting does not establish.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Cornered on Mysterious Legal Credentials

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

stunnedMore neutral: answered

The word adds drama beyond the fact that reporters were asked a question and gave an answer.

Donald Trump's new White House press secretary stunned reporters with an answer about her legal training in China as questions about her…

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

bizarreMore neutral: first White House press briefing

“Bizarre” is a judgement of the briefing rather than a description of what happened.

Standing behind the president after her bizarre first White House press briefing, Donald Trump’s new White House Press Secretary…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

dubious historyMore neutral: claimed legal background

“Dubious” presumes her history is doubtful before the record has been checked.

…Trump’s new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia was asked about her dubious history as an “attorney” despite no evidence suggesting she is licensed to practice law…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

scramblesMore neutral: responds to questions about

Scrambles implies disarray and panic, which the reporting in the article does not describe.

White House scrambles over questions on new press secretary’s background

Used byThe Washington Post (Left)

becoming increasingly clearMore neutral: the coverage reports a connection

It presents an unverified connection to the Chinese government as established.

…secretary Katie Zacharia ever actually worked as an attorney—but it is becoming increasingly clear that she was previously connected to the Chinese government in the past.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

self-purportedMore neutral: claimed legal qualifications

“Self-purported” presumes the claimed legal qualifications are false before the evidence is weighed.

…alongside Donald Trump Tuesday, Zacharia informed reporters inquiring about her self-purported legal qualifications that she passed the bar exam when she “moved to China.”…

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

WTFMore neutral: Questions about Trump’s new press secretary and China

The profanity adds drama that the facts of the question do not carry.

WTF Was Trump’s New Press Secretary Doing in China?

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

toutedMore neutral: described

Touted adds a note of promotion and hype to Trump’s statement that the article reports in its own voice.

President Donald Trump touted Katie Zacharia as an attorney when he announced last week that she would be the new…

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

evadedMore neutral: did not answer

Evaded implies deliberate dodging, while the article describes unanswered questions without showing intent.

But when scrutiny about her legal credentials arose Tuesday, she and the White House evaded questions.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

tore intoMore neutral: criticized

The phrase adds force and hostility to what was a televised critique.

A former White House press secretary herself, Psaki tore into Katie Zacharia over her controversial debut performance Tuesday.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

cringeworthyMore neutral: awkward

The adjective is the outlet’s own judgement of the clips rather than a description of what was said.

…secretary Katie Zacharia over her rather rocky start, showing viewers a flurry of cringeworthy clips from her first press briefing and mocking her controversial performance.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

SkewersMore neutral: criticizes

The verb presents criticism as a violent attack rather than reporting what the host said.

Jen Psaki Skewers Trump's New Press Secretary: 'Oh, Katie'

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

dubious claimsMore neutral: claims

The adjective pre-judges the claims before the evidence is presented.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is facing fresh scrutiny about her dubious claims about her career background — and even her explanation for things isn’t adding up.…

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

ShreddedMore neutral: questioned

The verb presents a scrutiny of claims as a violent destruction before the evidence is weighed.

Katie Zacharia’s Resume Gets Shredded by Law Professors

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

mockedMore neutral: criticized

The verb characterizes Psaki’s remarks as ridicule rather than describing what she said.

Former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki mocked President Donald Trump's new press secretary Katie Zacharia on Tuesday, following…

Used byFox News (Far Right)

mocksMore neutral: criticizes

The verb characterizes Psaki’s remarks as ridicule rather than describing what she said.

Jen Psaki mocks Trump’s new press secretary, questions if she’s a 'potentially fake lawyer'

Used byFox News (Far Right)

misrepresenting her credentialsMore neutral: claims about her credentials

The phrase states as fact an allegation that the complaint makes and that has not been decided.

The new White House press secretary is facing a legal complaint over misrepresenting her credentials as a lawyer.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

anti-abortion disinformationMore neutral: anti-abortion claims

The label presents her views as established falsehood rather than as claims that are disputed.

Zacharia's claims of being a lawyer and her spreading of anti-abortion disinformation have received renewed examination.

Used byTruthout (Far Left)

may have lied about her résuméMore neutral: may have misstated her résumé

The verb states a deliberate lie in the outlet’s voice, though the outlet itself says it is only possible.

…come to light — including her staunch anti-abortion views and that she may have lied about her résumé.

Used byTruthout (Far Left)

MouthpieceMore neutral: White House press secretary

Calling her a mouthpiece presumes she speaks only for the president rather than describing her job.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Faces Fresh Trouble Over Lawyer Claims

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Faces Fresh TroubleMore neutral: Faces a complaint

Suggests escalating trouble before any finding has been made.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Faces Fresh Trouble Over Lawyer Claims

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

replied curiouslyMore neutral: said

The adverb adds the outlet’s judgement about the manner of her answer rather than describing what she said.

…press briefing on Tuesday to name the state where she passed the bar exam, she replied curiously: “when I moved to China”.

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

raising questionsMore neutral: state the question and who is asking

The writer is raising the question while pretending someone else did.

Trump’s new press secretary says she passed bar exam ‘when I moved to China’, raising questions of US authority

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

brushes offMore neutral: says the result is inconsequential

The verb presents her reaction as dismissive before the reader sees her full explanation.

Zacharia brushes off bar exam results as press scrutinizes credentials

Used byJust the News (Far Right)

critics questionMore neutral: A public accountability nonprofit has asked whether she was licensed

Attributes doubt to unnamed critics, although the excerpt names the accountability nonprofit that filed the complaint.

Katie Zacharia has repeatedly claimed to be a lawyer, but critics question whether she was ever licensed.

Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)

despite claiming to be a lawyerMore neutral: who had described herself as a lawyer

Despite implies she knowingly misled people, which the report does not establish.

…Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, it turns out, did not pass the bar exam, despite claiming to be a lawyer.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Humiliating TruthMore neutral: Report on Katie Zacharia’s bar exam record

The phrase passes judgement on Zacharia before the record is weighed; the report states facts about her bar exam.

Humiliating Truth About Katie Zacharia’s Legal Claims Exposed

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

ExposedMore neutral: Reported

Exposed implies the claims were already proven false, when the story rests on one newspaper’s report.

Humiliating Truth About Katie Zacharia’s Legal Claims Exposed

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

is in growing doubtMore neutral: Reports have raised doubt over whether she passed the bar exam

The doubt is not attributed to anyone, so the reader cannot tell who holds it.

Whether Zacharia passed the bar exam at all is in growing doubt.

Used byThe Hill (Center)

has long touted her experienceMore neutral: has long described herself as a lawyer

Touted means promoted, which suggests boasting; the source says only that she described herself as a lawyer.

…addressed reporters for the first time in her new role earlier this week, has long touted her experience as a “lawyer.” According to Popular Information journalist Judd Legum, she…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

bizarre answerMore neutral: answer

Bizarre is a judgement of the answer rather than a description of what she said.

…new press secretary Katie Zacharia has blamed Marine One’s loud noise for her bizarre answer to whether or not she has passed the bar exam, which she has not.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Wild ExcuseMore neutral: explanation

Wild judges the explanation before the facts are weighed.

Trump’s Mouthpiece Drops Wild Excuse for First Week Fiasco

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

FiascoMore neutral: first-week briefing controversy

Fiasco adds drama and a verdict to a question about one answer at a briefing.

Trump’s Mouthpiece Drops Wild Excuse for First Week Fiasco

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

scandalMore neutral: questions

Scandal asserts wrongdoing that has not been established.

Katie Zacharia’s latest approach to handling the scandal around her boosted legal credentials involves pretending the whole thing never…

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

boosted legal credentialsMore neutral: claimed legal credentials

Boosted implies inflating credentials, a judgement the reporting does not establish.

Katie Zacharia’s latest approach to handling the scandal around her boosted legal credentials involves pretending the whole thing never happened.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

pretending the whole thing never happenedMore neutral: saying the matter is not an issue

Pretending imputes bad faith to the press secretary’s explanation.

…handling the scandal around her boosted legal credentials involves pretending the whole thing never happened.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Cue pandemoniumMore neutral: Reaction followed.

Pandemonium is a dramatic description of the reaction that the reporting does not document.

At the time, Zacharia answered: “When I moved to China.” Cue pandemonium.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Tries to BacktrackMore neutral: Says She Misheard Question on China Answer

Backtrack implies she is reversing a falsehood, which the reporting does not establish.

Trump’s New Press Secretary Tries to Backtrack on the China Thing

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

the China ThingMore neutral: the China answer

The informal label dismisses the answer and its context in a few words.

Trump’s New Press Secretary Tries to Backtrack on the China Thing

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

growing chorusMore neutral: Two watchdog groups have raised concerns

It presents concern as widespread without naming anyone who holds it, while the article itself names two specific watchdog groups as the complainants.

A growing chorus is voicing concern about White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's…

Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

new reports allegeMore neutral: a watchdog group alleges, or the report says

The claim that she never passed the required test is attributed to unnamed reports rather than to a named source or record.

…has referred to herself as an attorney, and Trump has called her a lawyer, but new reports allege Zacharia never passed the required test to be sworn in and receive her law…

Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

boastMore neutral: statement

Calling Trump’s statement a boast implies empty bragging; the description can simply report what he said.

Donald Trump’s boast about his new press secretary has backfired.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

engulfed in a scandalMore neutral: facing questions over her statements

The phrase adds drama to the White House’s position; the facts can be stated without it.

But in having falsely introduced Zacharia as such, the White House is engulfed in a scandal entirely of its own making.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

FlimsyMore neutral: questioned

Calling her background flimsy passes judgement before the record is weighed, when the bar result itself can be stated.

Katie Zacharia's Flimsy Legal Backstory Has Completely Fallen Apart

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

confusing legal backgroundMore neutral: legal background

Describing her background as confusing states a judgement rather than the facts of her record.

…Zacharia is now trying to claim she misunderstood a question about her confusing legal background.

Used byThe Independent (Left)

Fresh BlowMore neutral: new report

The phrase manufactures drama around a new report; the headline can state the finding directly.

Katie Zacharia’s Legal Scandal Hit With Fresh Blow

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

dismissedMore neutral: said

Describes her remark as dismissive, where the other outlets report it as a statement she made.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia dismissed her California bar results as "somewhat inconsequential."

Used byNewsweek (Center)

right-wing mediaMore neutral: name the outlet

Dismisses reporting by presumed politics rather than by evidence.

The brand-new White House press secretary appeared on the right-wing media outlet Real America’s Voice Thursday for an interview with Pizzagate conspiracy…

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Pizzagate conspiracy theoristMore neutral: Jack Posobiec, a commentator who has promoted the Pizzagate claims

The label attaches a contested judgement to the interviewer in the outlet’s own voice, when the article could simply name what he has promoted.

…media outlet Real America’s Voice Thursday for an interview with Pizzagate conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec and attempted to put the whole “lawyer” thing to bed.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

conspiracy theoristMore neutral: describe the claim and the evidence against it

Ends the discussion by labeling; state the claim.

…media outlet Real America’s Voice Thursday for an interview with Pizzagate conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec and attempted to put the whole “lawyer” thing to bed.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Straight Up AdmitsMore neutral: says

The verb admits suggests a confession of wrongdoing, while the reported words are an ordinary statement about her credentials.

Trump’s New Press Secretary Straight Up Admits She’s Not a Lawyer

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

right-wing provocateurMore neutral: commentator on Real America’s Voice

“Provocateur” pre-judges the interviewee, and the excerpt does not show that the label is needed to report the interview.

…exam in and replied: "When I moved to China." In an interview Thursday with right-wing provocateur Jack Posobiec on Real America's Voice, she did not deny reports that she'd…

Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

much ridiculedMore neutral: criticized

The phrase asserts that the debut was widely mocked without naming who mocked it.

…Real America's Voice's Jack Posobiec for her first on-camera interview since her much ridiculed Tuesday debut at the White House podium.

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

hounded by questionsMore neutral: asked repeatedly about

The phrase characterizes ordinary press questions as persecution.

…background in an interview with Real America’s Voice on Thursday after being hounded by questions over her repeated claims of being a lawyer.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

BonkersMore neutral: Explanation

The word is a dismissive judgement of the explanation rather than a description of it.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Makes Bonkers Excuse for Flunking Bar Exam

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

FlunkingMore neutral: failing

The verb adds mockery to a plain report that she did not pass the exam.

Trump’s New Mouthpiece Makes Bonkers Excuse for Flunking Bar Exam

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

claimsMore neutral: says

Claims implies doubt about her account, while the story only reports what she says.

‘Absolutely, absolutely across the board you can call yourself a lawyer,’ Zacharia claims she was told

Used byThe Independent (Left)

rumorsMore neutral: questions

Calling the scrutiny rumors dismisses reporting on her public statements without evidence that it was baseless.

Addressing the rumors on Thursday’s episode of the Real America’s Voice show Human Events Daily with Jack…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

belittlingMore neutral: criticizing

Characterizes the president’s remarks as demeaning in the outlet’s own voice rather than reporting them.

President Donald Trump’s habit of belittling rivals who failed the bar exam has come back to haunt him as his new mouthpiece…

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

savagedMore neutral: criticized

Describes the president’s criticism with a word that adds violent judgement beyond the reported facts.

The president has savaged rivals for flunking the bar exam, but his new press secretary failed it, too.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

SlursMore neutral: insults

Calling the insults “slurs” implies identity-based abuse, which the coverage does not describe.

Trump’s Slurs Come Back to Bite New Mouthpiece

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

New MouthpieceMore neutral: press secretary

Calling the press secretary a mouthpiece implies she only repeats another person’s views.

Trump’s Slurs Come Back to Bite New Mouthpiece

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

dodged questionsMore neutral: did not directly answer questions

Dodged implies evasion on purpose, which the article does not establish.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has dodged questions about her claiming to be a lawyer and argued President Donald Trump never asked…

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

political hot takesMore neutral: political commentary

The phrase adds a dismissive tone to a description of her past commentary.

…outlets who often had the title of 'lawyer' or 'attorney' while delivering her political hot takes, has come under scrutiny for embracing those descriptions despite never passing…

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

stunningMore neutral: notable

The word adds drama to a routine answer to press questions.

Katie Zacharia throws Trump under the bus in stunning response about her legal qualifications amid fake 'attorney' outrage

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

fake ‘attorney’ outrageMore neutral: criticism of her use of the attorney title

Calling the criticism fake dismisses it without evidence in the article.

…Trump under the bus in stunning response about her legal qualifications amid fake 'attorney' outrage

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

awkwardMore neutral: short first press briefing

The word is an evaluation of her briefing rather than a description of it.

She also took heat for her awkward and short first press briefing this week.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

MAGA leaderMore neutral: President Donald Trump

The label MAGA is a movement name that attaches a partisan identity to Trump in the outlet’s own voice.

The MAGA leader hailed his “distinguished” new press secretary Katie Zacharia as an “attorney,”…

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

admitMore neutral: said

The verb implies a confession of wrongdoing, which the reported facts do not establish as such.

…“distinguished” new press secretary Katie Zacharia as an “attorney,” only for her to admit she never passed the bar exam.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

shaky debut press briefingMore neutral: first press briefing

The adjective pre-judges the quality of her first briefing before any evaluation is given.

Zacharia on Tuesday delivered a shaky debut press briefing and raised serious questions about whether she is actually a lawyer or an…

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

initially claimingMore neutral: initially saying

The word implies that her account was false before the evidence is set out.

…raised serious questions about whether she is actually a lawyer or an attorney, initially claiming to have passed the bar while living in China before admitting she never…

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

admittingMore neutral: saying

The verb frames her account as a confession rather than a statement.

…an attorney, initially claiming to have passed the bar while living in China before admitting she never completed that fundamental requirement.

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

Repeatedly InsultedMore neutral: Repeatedly criticized

The headline asserts a pattern of insults as a settled judgement of Trump rather than describing the specific remarks.

Just A Reminder That Trump Has Repeatedly Insulted Women Who Failed The Bar

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

admitsMore neutral: says

The verb implies a confession of wrongdoing rather than a statement of fact.

Katie Zacharia admits she never passed legal exams – video

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

big secretMore neutral: credentials

The phrase presents a routine credential question as a concealed secret.

Even President Donald Trump was “blindsided” by his own pick for press secretary’s big secret, a new report has revealed.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

glaring holeMore neutral: gap

The phrase presents a credential gap as a dramatic failure.

The president learned of a glaring hole in Katie Zacharia’s credentials at the same time as most of the country.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Embarrassing TruthMore neutral: fact that she was not an attorney

The phrase adds judgement about the fact before the reader has seen the detail.

Trump ‘Blindsided’ by Embarrassing Truth About Katie Zacharia

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)