Trump's new spokeswoman faces charges of misleading the public

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The new White House press secretary, Katie Zakaria, is facing increasing questions about her legal qualifications, after filing a complaint accusing her of misleading the public about her professional status, following her first faltering appearance in her new position.

According to Agence France-Presse, on Thursday, an American oversight group called on the California Bar Association to investigate whether Zakaria had violated the law by presenting herself as a lawyer, despite not finding a record proving that she obtained a license to practice the profession.

The Campaign for Accountability organization said that Zakaria introduced herself as a lawyer during her appearances on television programs, and also identified herself as the general legal advisor to a conservative non-profit organization based in California.

The organization's CEO, Michelle Coopersmith, added that Zakaria "repeatedly presented herself as a lawyer to enhance her reputation and credibility," calling on the Bar Association to investigate the possibility of misleading the public about her qualifications.

US President Donald Trump described Zakaria as a "lawyer" when he announced her appointment last Friday, but journalists found no record indicating that she had obtained a license to practice law in any US state.

In response to these questions, Zakaria told Agence France-Presse: “I practiced international transactions law, fulfilling all the necessary qualifications,” without clarifying whether she holds an American license to practice the profession.

It also did not specify who allowed her to practice law, or if she had obtained such a permit.

When journalists asked her on Tuesday about the place where she passed the bar exam, she replied: “When I moved to China.”

For its part, the California Bar Association confirmed to American media that there is no record of Zakaria’s license, whether in her current name or in her family name before marriage.

Zakaria, 41, graduated from Pepperdine University College of Law in 2011, but obtaining a law degree does not automatically grant its holder the right to practice law.

She previously worked for a law firm in Beijing, according to her professional file, noting that China does not allow foreigners to take the bar exam, although it allows them to perform some specific legal work.

The controversy over Zakaria's qualifications came after her first appearance as an official spokeswoman for the White House, on Tuesday, during a press briefing that lasted only 14 minutes.

Zakaria read extensively from notes prepared in advance, and was content to take questions from three media organizations considered supportive of Trump.

She also stumbled in some of her answers, and on one occasion mistakenly referred to the US president as her husband.

Despite the criticism that followed her appearance, Trump praised her performance, telling reporters: "I saw that she was very good."

The result of the investigation requested by the oversight group has not been announced, while the accusations related to the legal qualifications remain a subject of questions, and there is no proven violation.