Katie Zacharia will hold her first briefing as the new White House press secretary Tuesday morning, exactly three weeks — and roughly twelve hours — before polls close in the 2026 midterm elections.

Zacharia takes over at a precarious political moment for President Donald Trump, with Republicans facing the prospect of losing their congressional majorities and the White House looking to sharpen its messaging ahead of Election Day. She also faces the challenge of succeeding Karoline Leavitt, who established herself as both a capable manager and a formidable public advocate for the president.