WASHINGTON: The White House was facing mounting questions Wednesday over new press secretary Katie Zacharia's legal credentials, after a faltering first day in the job when she gave an inconclusive answer about where she had passed the bar exam.

A US watchdog group filed a complaint with the State Bar of California, asking it to investigate whether President Donald Trump's spokeswoman – the public face of the administration – had broken the law by repeatedly presenting herself as a lawyer without a license.

Campaign for Accountability said Zacharia had described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and listed herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit.