New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s press office appeared to mock new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia’s debut Tuesday by posting a photo of Aaron Rodgers’ entrance before the Jets game in which he suffered a season-ending injury. Hochul’s own previous press secretary had to resign after sexual harassment allegations last year.
The governor’s press account shared the image while quoting a White House post announcing, “Your new White House Press Sec, @KatieZacharia, makes her debut at the podium.”
The photograph shows Rodgers carrying an American flag before his first regular-season appearance for the Jets on Sept. 11, 2023, the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks. His highly anticipated debut ended after just four offensive snaps when he tore his left Achilles tendon against the Buffalo Bills. He missed the remainder of the season.
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The juxtaposition appeared to draw a comparison between Zacharia’s introduction and Rodgers’ abruptly curtailed debut, although Hochul’s office included no written explanation with the image.
OutKick contacted the governor’s office asking what analogy it intended and whether it was comparing Zacharia’s first briefing to Rodgers’ 2023 injury.
Hochul’s own press operation previously faced a sexual harassment scandal. Her then-press secretary, Avi Small, resigned on July 4, 2025, after being placed on leave pending an investigation into a sexual harassment complaint, her office confirmed.
Small was accused of inappropriately touching a fellow staffer at an Albany bar following a June 16 staff event. The governor’s office said the investigation had “substantively concluded,” but declined to disclose its findings, the New York Post reported.
“Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for misconduct by any New York State employee,” her communications director, Anthony Hogrebe, said at the time, adding that Small was placed on leave as soon as the complaint reached the governor’s office.
Hochul subsequently defended her administration’s response, telling reporters, “the culture was changed, the system worked.”
Many users on social media criticized Hochul’s office for the Tuesday post with the previous scandal within her own press operation.
Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt after President Donald Trump named her to the position Friday. Her first briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, ending with her directing reporters to question Trump before his departure for Alaska. Trump subsequently praised her performance.
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“I thought she did excellent. She did very good,” Trump told reporters.
The White House also praised Zacharia’s inaugural briefing in an official release highlighting her commitment to promoting Trump’s agenda and retaining the administration’s new-media seat.
Hochul’s press account has cultivated a confrontational social media presence. In a March interview with City & State, her rapid-response director described the account as a vehicle for pushing back against the Trump administration’s attacks.
