Zacharia’s performance drew criticism on social media and cable news and one administration official reportedly told MS NOW that she risked breaking Anthony Scaramucci’s famously short 11-day stint in Trump’s first administration.

The White House and Steven Cheung’s spin on Katie Zacharia’s debut press briefing was mocked online.

Bloomberg via Getty Images / Anadolu via Getty Images

Trump’s White House, however, offered a rather different assessment, issuing a press release that described Zacharia’s appearance as a “powerful inaugural briefing.”

Zacharia “delivered a commanding” briefing, which she opened “with clear purpose” and which “served as a strong introduction to her tenure,” the release read.

See the press release here.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung was similarly effusive, writing on X that it was “a tremendous start” for Zacharia.

“She commanded the room and effectively reminded the American people of all the great work President Trump and his Administration has done thus far,” he said.

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) had a rather different reaction to the spin.

“You can’t be serious,” he responded.

Others simply replied with laughing-face emojis.