Sean Spicer Calls Himself an 'Angry Leprechaun' as Trump's New Press Secretary Prepares To Face Reporters

Katie Zacharia will step behind the White House briefing-room podium for the first time on Tuesday, becoming President Donald Trump's new press secretary and ending several weeks without a permanent face of the administration in daily dealings with reporters.

President Trump announced her appointment on Truth Social on Friday, 9 October, saying Zacharia would start on Columbus Day, Monday, 12 October, before holding an introductory news conference at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 October, in the White House press briefing room.

'Katie has been with me, in spirit, from the very beginning, and will do a fantastic job!,' Trump wrote.

The appointment is significant because the press secretary is the administration's most visible daily interface with reporters. Zacharia succeeds Karoline Leavitt, who served in the role from the start of Trump's second administration in January 2025 until her departure on 27 August.

After Leavitt's departure, other senior administration officials carried out White House briefing duties while the administration sought a successor.

Zacharia's Background

Zacharia is an attorney and television commentator who has worked as a senior communications adviser for Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, since June 2026.

She also previously served as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs and as a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security, according to Fox News Digital.

Her first briefing will offer an early indication of how she intends to handle questions from the White House press corps while communicating the administration's positions.

Fuel Deal Likely To Dominate First Briefing

One issue reporters may raise is Trump's announced agreement with Russia on diesel supplies. Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel to US and global markets immediately, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes thereafter.

The announced volumes total more than 1.8 million tonnes, although the timing and feasibility of deliveries remain uncertain. Trump also said a further 3 million tonnes could follow, dependent on the condition of Russian refineries.

The administration says the additional supplies are intended to ease fuel costs. Whether they will lead to sustained price reductions remains uncertain, and no direct effect on grocery prices has been established.

In an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend, Zacharia said Trump was responding to public frustration over fuel and grocery prices.

Legal and Political Questions

The agreement has also raised legal and policy questions. Reuters reported that lawmakers from both parties have argued that the arrangement appears to conflict with US restrictions on Russian energy imports, while the Treasury Department issued a temporary licence permitting Russian diesel imports until 7 April 2027.

The article does not establish whether the arrangement is lawful. Any allegation that it is illegal should remain attributed to the lawmakers or sources making it.

Spicer's 'Angry Leprechaun' Remark

Sean Spicer, Trump's first White House press secretary, welcomed the appointment in comments to Fox News Digital on Friday. He praised Zacharia's support for the MAGA movement and America First policies, describing her as an effective champion of both.

'Katie has been an effective champion of MAGA movement and America First policies and most importantly clearly has [the] trust of President Trump,' Spicer said.

He then added: 'Anyone who has not met her yet will quickly see that she is a genuinely kind person who will work well with the press corps, unlike the first press secretary who came across as an angry leprechaun at times.'

Spicer was referring to himself. The remark was a self-deprecating reference to his own time at the podium, rather than a description of Zacharia.

Trump's first administration had four press secretaries: Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.