Donald Trump has appointed conservative commentator Katie Zacharia as his new White House press secretary.

The US president praised Ms Zacharia as "a loyal and brilliant supporter" and "devoted fan and member of MAGA", when he announced her appointment in a Truth Social post.

Ms Zacharia, who briefly worked as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and has been a commentator for Fox News and Newsmax, steps into the role left vacant by Karoline Leavitt.

She is currently senior communications adviser to Truth Social, Mr Trump's social media platform.

When asked about the appointment by reporters on Friday, Mr Trump said: "She's a great person. Katie is going to be the press secretary.

"She's a friend of most of you. I know she likes people. She likes all of you, actually - I don't know if that's good or bad.

"But we just hired a new press secretary. She's going to be, I think, terrific."

Ms Zacharia has a law degree from Pepperdine University and is also a lawyer, Mr Trump said.

Ms Zacharia's appointment comes at a time of heightened tension between the US president and the media as the mid-term elections approach.

Mr Trump banned three media outlets from accessing the White House last month, triggering a media boycott that overshadowed the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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The US president announced Ms Leavitt's departure from the role in August, saying she wanted "to spend more time with her beautiful young children and family" and described her as "one of my most trusted aides".

Appointed by Mr Trump in November 2024 at the age of 27, Ms Leavitt was the youngest person to hold the office in US history.

She served as a press aide for Mr Trump during his first term in the White House and has been one of the most visible advocates of the MAGA movement.