Zacharia describes rushed first briefing and Beachbody role

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said her first briefing was hampered by a compressed transition and limited preparation, describing a rapid appointment process and late-arriving materials in an interview aired Thursday. She also addressed questions about her legal background and confirmed that she had worked as an independent distributor for fitness company Beachbody, now known as BODi, rather than as its employee. Zacharia said President Donald Trump contacted her on October 7. She accepted the position that Friday, after meeting with him, and began work the following Monday. According to her account, the initial briefing materials arrived late Monday evening and were not finalized until about 8 a.m. Tuesday, roughly 90 minutes before her first briefing. She said she had not received a full briefing beforehand and prepared with the materials available. She expected the session to begin at 9:30 a.m. and end by 10 a.m., but said it lasted 14 minutes. Zacharia attributed her performance to the short preparation window, rather than a lack of communication skills. The preparation timeline and her account of the briefing are based on her interview. Zacharia also...