In a tenure that lasted barely five days, White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has officially departed her post, eclipsing the infamous 11-day record set by Anthony Scaramucci during Donald Trump’s first term. Her exit follows a tumultuous week defined by public gaffes, including a disastrously short press briefing and intense scrutiny over her false claims of being a practicing attorney. While Zacharia held a law degree, she admitted to failing the bar exam, leading to embarrassing headlines that distracted from President Trump’s mid-term election efforts.

The situation spiraled further after Zacharia attempted to justify her credentials on conservative media, only to face tough questioning that ultimately alienated her from the administration. Her brief stint was further marred by a controversial, derogatory remark regarding Chinese infrastructure during a podcast interview, which prompted a sharp diplomatic rebuttal from Beijing. As President Trump faces a difficult polling environment amid concerns over inflation and foreign policy, the administration opted to cut ties quickly, ending a stint that even Scaramucci himself described as painful to witness.