The White House press secretary speaks for a U.S. president in a post that developed through custom, with no credential requirements or congressional vetting, NPR reported, leaving the officeholder to answer publicly.
The position has endured for nearly a century without being designated by Congress, NPR reported. Former Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the role combines access to the president with a responsibility to the public. A press secretary needs to understand the president’s policy views, Kirby told NPR, and should respond honestly and promptly while taking difficult questions.
Regular White House news coverage began in the late 1800s, according to the White House Historical Association. In 1929, President Herbert Hoover appointed journalist George Akerson to speak on his behalf. The association regards Akerson as the first official press secretary. NPR counts 37 people in the role since then.
The position’s history also includes milestones in representation. Dee Dee Myers became the first woman to serve as press secretary in 1993, NPR reported. In 2022, Karine Jean-Pierre became the first Black person and the first openly gay person to hold the role. The briefing room is named for White House press secretary James Brady, who was shot while traveling with President Ronald Reagan during a 1981 assassination attempt.
Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was dismissed five days after starting the job, NPR reported. Her first briefing came two days into her tenure; she took only a few questions and relied mainly on prepared remarks. Her description of herself as a lawyer drew further scrutiny. NPR reported that she had failed the California bar exam and was not an attorney; the press secretary job does not require a law license.
EconoTimes previously covered Zacharia’s departure from the White House post.
