Newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia speaks during her first press briefing in the James Brady Briefing Room.
China invites Katie Zacharia to visit after controversial “proper toilets” remark
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
China’s Foreign Ministry extended an invitation to former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to visit the country more often, following her recent comments that China lacked “proper toilets.”
The remarks, made less than a week into her brief tenure, drew a pointed but lighthearted response from Beijing.
In an interview that aired Thursday with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, Zacharia reflected on the political atmosphere ahead of the 2016 US presidential election.
deep thoughts with Katie Zacharia: "I remember thinking, 'How is China the next country on the horizon? They don't even have proper toilets!'" https://t.co/BDysRrgZPg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 15, 2026
“We were all being told Hillary [Clinton] was going to win. The golden days or the glory days of America were over. That China was on the horizon,” she said.
“I remember this very distinctly, having just come from China, thinking, ‘How is China the next country on the horizon? They don’t even have proper toilets.’”
Zacharia, 41, lived in Beijing from 2011 to 2013 after graduating from Pepperdine Law School.
She worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm, one of China’s major legal practices, while her husband was employed in the country.
Her comments came amid broader scrutiny of her short time as press secretary, which included questions about her legal credentials and a rocky first briefing.
Asked about the remarks on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning replied with a smile: “We welcome her to visit China more often when she has the opportunity.”
Zacharia has since left the White House role less than a week after her appointment.
