Michaelson shares take on Trump’s WH press secretary pick, a frequent guest on his panels 3:00

Katie Zacharia is Donald Trump's choice for the next White House press secretary, CNN reported on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The president picked her for the job of speaking for his White House to the press, making the selection a notable staffing development for his administration.

CNN's Elex Michaelson shared his own take on the choice, and he speaks from direct experience. Zacharia has appeared a number of times as a guest on the panels he leads, so he has seen her work firsthand in on-air discussions. His reaction draws on those repeated encounters rather than on distant observation.

For Michaelson, the news turns a regular panelist into the person Trump wants speaking for the White House. Their history of shared appearances, which includes Zacharia's many turns as a guest, is what ties his commentary to the president's decision. The selection and the host's response both rest on that track record of on-air exchanges.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →