Magician and devotee, Katie Zacharia is the new White House spokesperson

Katie Zacharia is the new White House press secretary. Donald Trump chose her after months of hesitation and dozens of interviews that went nowhere because none of the various candidates fully met the requirements demanded by the president, foremost among them absolute loyalty. Until last week, Zacharia's name wasn't even on the list of possible candidates. Then came the sudden acceleration, with Trump first consulting his advisers and Karoline Leavitt, the former White House press secretary, and then making the long-awaited announcement. Born and raised in California, the 42-year-old is a convinced Republican and a supporter of the Maga movement devoted to the president. A well-known commentator on conservative media for her direct and clear style, capable of translating the thorniest legal issues for the general public, Zacharia is no stranger to the administration. For six months she worked at the Department of Homeland Security alongside former Secretary Kristi Noem. A post she then left because traveling between Los Angeles, where she lives, and Washington was taking a toll on her family. Since last June she has worked at Trump's company that runs his social platform Truth as a communications adviser, and before that she collaborated on his election campaigns, "offering her contribution in key swing states. She has been a loyal and brilliant supporter from the start. She is also a convinced supporter and an integral part of the Maga movement," Trump said. Her ties with the conservative party, however, go back a long way. While still studying law at Pepperdine University, she was already doing internships at the Republican National Committee and then at the White House Office of Public Affairs during George W. Bush's second term. Shortly after graduating, Zacharia worked for a period in China between 2011 and 2013 at the law firm Zhong Lun. After returning to the United States, she began the transition from the legal profession to the media. Zacharia, who will officially start in her new role on Monday, described the position as "the honor of her life." In her first interview with Fox, the mother of four described her "beautiful" phone call with "the 'chief talent recruiter' Trump" and her decision to accept the job. "It has nothing to do with me, but with the president and how he wants to communicate," she explained before adopting a combative tone against the Democratic candidates in the midterms. She pointed the finger at James Talarico in Texas, who disappeared "for two weeks" from the campaign trail, at the "radical" Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, and at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who "only promotes socialist policies." The new role is not an easy one for Zacharia: the position was previously held by Leavitt, beloved by the president and Republicans. Moreover, since the former press secretary's departure, Trump has intensified his battle against the media, banning Cnn, Msnow and Politico from the White House and opening a new front of legal conflict. Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA