Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her position as White House press secretary, a White House official confirmed Friday, bringing a swift end to her brief tenure as the public face of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Trump defended Zacharia against the treatment she has received from reporters, saying she had been treated unfairly since taking on the high-profile role.

“Katie has been treated very badly by the media. Very very badly. Very unfair. I just asked her, is this for you? And she's a nice person. I'm going to let her make that decision. Sean Hannity was a little bit tough. Katie is off to a start that, the news has been so nasty to her. I told her, 'Honestly, if I were you, I would reconsider.' Maybe it's not for her,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments came amid growing scrutiny of Zacharia, who was selected for the position on October 9 following the departure of former press secretary Karoline Leavitt in August. Her appointment drew attention after questions emerged about her professional credentials and experience.

Zacharia held her first White House press briefing on October 13. The briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, with reporters from only three outlets asking questions before she ended the session.

Additional scrutiny followed after Zacharia acknowledged on October 15 that she had not passed the bar exam, despite holding a law degree from Pepperdine University and previously describing herself as a lawyer. Trump had also referred to her as an attorney. A White House communications official defended Zacharia amid the criticism.

The White House has confirmed that Zacharia is transitioning out of the role, although a successor has not been publicly announced.