The White House is defending its new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, as she faces scrutiny over her legal credentials. President Donald Trump described Zacharia as an attorney when announcing her appointment last week, and she has referred to herself as a lawyer. However, when asked by a reporter on Tuesday in which state she had passed the bar exam required to practice law in the US, she responded, "When I moved to China."

Zacharia does not appear to be registered to the bar in any state where she has lived. White House communications director Steven Cheung stated that Zacharia is "uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people."

Credentials Under Scrutiny

In response to questions about her qualifications, Zacharia said in a statement this week:

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"I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials."

On Wednesday, a watchdog group, Campaign for Accountability, filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association. They are seeking an investigation into whether Zacharia "repeatedly held herself out to the public as entitled to practise law without a licence to do so, conduct California law treats as a crime."

Background Information

The 42-year-old political strategist graduated from law school at Pepperdine University in California in 2011, as confirmed by the university. It is important to note that a law degree is not a license to practice law in the US. Zacharia told the New York Times on Wednesday that when she first began appearing on cable news, she consulted Pepperdine on how to identify herself. She claimed she was advised by the university president that she could call herself a lawyer, but not an attorney.