Katie Zacharia Blames Media For Her Firing, 'Perplexed' by Sean Hannity's Hostility

Katie, I was shocked by the Hannity treatment, if I'm being honest. I don't think he does that if he doesn't get the green light from somebody, perhaps at the White House. I don't know. But what do you make of this narrative that Fox did this on purpose, that the Hannity interview and that the Fox and Friends interviews were set up deliberately not to go well for you? How do you respond to that? Well, Rob, I'm just as perplexed about what happened specifically with Sean Hannity. Look, earlier in the year, in January, late February, I was asked by Sean Hannity's team. I got a phone call from them asking me if I would consider being Sean's California man on the street, basically asking Californians what they thought of Gavin Newsom ahead of a potentially a presidential run that Gavin Newsom might make. So Sean Hannity's team, after being on with him a number of times and having a great rapport with Sean, thought that I would be a valuable asset to be continuing a relationship and in the press for him on his show. So he thinks you were good enough to work on his show, but not to be press secretary. And I doubt that he had any interest in your educational background at that point when you had that call. Is that accurate? Is that fair? We never had a conversation about my educational background. They were excited that I was someone who could be able to deliver fun, fast, exciting news on the street. Will you ever go back on Sean Hannity's show? Look, I never bow away from a fight or back away from a fight, Rob. I've been on CNN. I've debated some of the most hostile uh not anchors but guests and i have been able to do it with grace with dignity and walk away and even maintain decorum on this particular night if i had known i was going into the ring perhaps with someone like jake tapper though he's been very nice since i took that role i would have had a very different disposition towards him rob my gloves are on i'm ready to go but because i had had a very friendly rapport with sean and he had even made very backing statements about me on Tuesday, October 13th, really coming to my defense, I was not prepared for the hostility that I received. Katie, let me just ask you, if you don't go on Fox that night, I saw you that afternoon. I was there for a few hours at the White House Thursday night. I see you. You go on with Hannity that night. You go on with Fox and friends the next morning. If you don't do that, you're scheduled to fly out with the president to, I think, Georgia on Friday. Are you still press secretary tonight? I would hope so. And I likely think I would be, Rob. But I can't know what would have happened otherwise, though it would be very likely. Honest question. Did it feel like the White House staff was behind you during your brief time at the White House? Just five days? Yeah, I had a very great working relationship with Stephen Chung, the communications director. He's incredible, a good friend. And we had I had a great rapport with him. I had obviously great relationship that started in the beginning with President Trump and only continued being able to travel with him, get to know him more, listen to him and how he spoke about things. I was able to capture that very quickly. I'm envious of my predecessor, Caroline Levitt, who was able to be with him for almost over a year, Rob, on the campaign trail to learn how he speaks, how he speaks about things, especially what he wants to talk about ahead of the campaign and ahead of these midterms, Rob. But I was able to gain very close relationships very quickly. Okay.