President Donald Trump reportedly wanted former Fox News host Maria Bartiromo to serve as White House press secretary before Katie Zacharia took over the podium for just a few days.
According to Axios, which cited two administration sources, the president had his sights set on Bartiromo as the replacement for Karoline Leavitt. But Bartiromo “signaled she was not going to take the job,” the outlet reported.
CNN’s Scott Jennings was also reportedly “in contention” for the high-profile role, though he was never offered the position.
Bartiromo’s name in the mix comes just weeks after Fox News Media abruptly parted ways with the longtime anchor in September, ending a 12-and-a-half-year run at the network. The move sent shockwaves through the media world.
“We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” the network said in a statement at the time.
Like Jennings, Bartiromo has been a loyal and outspoken supporter of the president on air. Reports suggested her departure from Fox was tied to allegations that she shared confidential internal guidance about the network’s coverage of the president with the White House.
Bryan Freedman, Bartiromo’s attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Following her exit, Trump weighed in on social media, saying her fans “will not be happy.”
Instead of Bartiromo, the job ultimately went to Zacharia, who was announced as the new press secretary on Oct. 9 and officially started on Oct. 12. Her time behind the podium proved short-lived. By Oct. 16, she was out.
Zacharia’s brief stint was marked by turbulence from the start. Her debut press conference, widely panned as a disaster, lasted just 14 minutes. She also faced serious questions about whether she had ever passed the bar exam. And just hours before news of her departure broke, she was put in the hot seat during an on-air interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
On Friday, Trump said he had spoken with Zacharia and suggested she “reconsider” the position as the controversies mounted. The president also floated the possibility of finding a way for her to remain in the administration “in a more pleasant form.”
Speaking with Fox News’ Peter Doocy, Trump said he is in “no rush” to name a new press secretary.
For her part, Zacharia struck a gracious tone on her way out. On Friday evening, she posted a photo of herself alongside the president in the Oval Office, accompanied by a glowing tribute.
“President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man,” she wrote. “I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him.”
With the press secretary post now vacant once again, all eyes are on the White House to see who the president will ultimately tap to fill one of the most visible roles in his administration.
