The controversy erupted after Ossoff, campaigning for re-election in Georgia, mocked Trump at a rally on August 16, saying the president didn’t wish to “do the job” and as an alternative needed to construct his ballroom and “journey with Natalie” aboard a aircraft he described as being gifted by Qatar. The remarks triggered an aggressive response from Trump allies and renewed consideration on Harp, who’s continuously beside the president at official occasions, whereas travelling and even throughout his leisure time.
Abigail Jackson, who just lately left her place as deputy to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, defended Harp on X, arguing that senior feminine staffers naturally spend appreciable time with their bosses as a result of “that’s the JOB.” The defence got here as scrutiny intensified over Harp’s unusually shut entry to Trump.
Who’s Natalie Harp?
Harp first entered Trump’s political orbit by means of her extremely publicised battle with Stage 2 bone cancer.
A California native and Liberty College MBA graduate, Harp stated she grew to become significantly sick after a medical error in 2015 and subsequently underwent two unsuccessful chemotherapy remedies. Harp then reportedly turned to experimental remedy after studying concerning the Right to Try Act, which permits sure terminally sick sufferers to hunt experimental medicine that had not obtained full FDA approval, which Trump signed in 2018.
Nevertheless, The Washington Put up later reported that her remedy timeline raised questions on whether or not the federal regulation truly enabled her entry to the drug.
Harp publicly credited Trump and the regulation with giving her one other remedy choice. In June 2019, after showing on Fox & Mates, she was invited onstage by Trump on the Religion & Freedom Coalition convention in Washington.
Her story grew to become a part of Trump’s political messaging. She later served as a Trump campaign advisory-board member and was among the many audio system on the 2020 Republican National Convention.
From conservative tv to Trump’s inside circle
Harp subsequently grew to become a tv host for the conservative One America Information Community, presenting The Actual Story with Natalie Harp. In March 2022, OAN introduced that she had left the community to work for Trump.
Her significance grew dramatically after she entered Trump’s orbit. She grew to become referred to as the “human printer” as a result of she reportedly carries a transportable printer, paper and batteries and provides Trump with printed information reviews, social-media materials and different data. Throughout Trump’s time outdoors the White Home, she reportedly grew to become a well-recognized presence on his golf outings and was typically seen operating behind his golf cart to maintain him provided with data.
The New York Instances reported that Harp wrote Trump a sequence of extremely private letters, together with one containing the road, “You’re all that issues to me.” The report stated a number of the letters raised eyebrows amongst Secret Service personnel due to their tone and the place they have been reportedly left.
The Turkey safety scare
Harp’s degree of entry was additionally highlighted throughout a safety incident surrounding Trump’s July journey to Turkey for the NATO summit.
Reporting stated Trump and a small group of trusted aides switched plane after intelligence indicated a attainable risk. Harp was amongst those that travelled with Trump, whereas senior Cupboard officers and journalists remained on the opposite plane. Her presence in such a tightly restricted group illustrated how shut she had turn into to the president.
The controversy intensified on August 17 when CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes requested Trump about Ossoff’s feedback and Harp.
Trump dismissed Ossoff as a “Pee-wee Herman lookalike” after which repeatedly instructed Holmes to be quiet, calling her “faux information” and “disrespectful.” The White Home subsequently launched an unusually private assault on Holmes by means of its Speedy Response 47 account, saying her kids would someday see her query and be “sickened” by it. CNN defended Holmes and stated she was doing her job by asking the president a professional query.
