President Donald Trump has reportedly fired White House press secretary Katie Zacharia after just one week in the position, bringing an abrupt end to a tenure marked by intense media scrutiny and questions about her background.

Advisers to the president said Zacharia had been dismissed following a turbulent first week as the administration’s top spokesperson.

Earlier Friday, Trump publicly suggested that Zacharia should reconsider whether she wanted to remain in the position, signalling that her time at the White House could be coming to an end.

“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” Trump told reporters, recounting a conversation he said he had with Zacharia earlier that morning.

“Katie, do you need this?” Trump said he had asked her. “I don’t think you need this.”

The president initially indicated that he would speak with Zacharia again upon returning to the White House and leave the final decision to her.

However, advisers subsequently said she had been fired.

Zacharia’s departure follows a difficult introduction to the White House briefing room on Tuesday, when her performance attracted widespread attention.

Questions surrounding her professional background also intensified during the week, placing her under scrutiny from journalists and fellow administration officials.

Her reported dismissal after only seven days represents an unusually rapid change in one of the administration’s most visible communications positions.

The White House has not identified a successor in the information provided.

The dismissal was also confirmed in reporting by Reuters and The New York Times. Zacharia’s tenure lasted five working days, and she acknowledged during an interview that she had not passed the California bar examination despite previously being described as an attorney.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Trump fires White House press secretary Katie Zacharia after just one week.