Who is Natalie Harp, Trump's close White House aide?
Natalie Harp, whose official White House title is a relatively junior executive assistant post, has become one of the most visible and constant presences around President Donald Trump, drawing fresh media attention to her outsized role.
Natalie Harp, who comes from a conservative Christian family in California, took an unconventional route into politics, rising to prominence by crediting Trump with saving her life. During Trump's first term, the Right to Try Act, which expanded patient access to experimental treatments, allowed her to receive therapy for bone cancer.
Harp gained popularity within Trump's Maga wing of the Republican Party by speaking about her experience, appearing at the 2020 Republican National Convention to thank Trump for the treatment access. She later joined an advisory board for his 2020 re-election campaign.
After Trump's 2020 election loss, Harp hosted a show at the conservative network One America News Network (OAN), where she became known as a fierce Trump defender and a prominent denier of the election results. She left OAN in 2022 to join Trump's next presidential campaign.
From assistant to influential figure
At the White House, Harp's official title is executive assistant to the president, a role typically associated with scheduling and secretarial duties. However, according to multiple sources, she has redefined the position, and her public profile is notably higher than that of her predecessors.
Reporters frequently see Harp standing just feet from Trump in the Oval Office or boarding Air Force One on his trips. Among White House staff and journalists, she is nicknamed the "human printer" because she often carries a portable printer to give Trump hard copies of articles and social media posts, which he prefers to read on paper.
Some sources have described Harp as a "gatekeeper" who controls what information reaches the president, while others call her a "comfort blanket". She also posts on Trump's behalf to his Truth Social account.
The White House has described Harp as a "trusted and valued" member of the team. She recently drew renewed attention after critics of Trump noted she was reportedly aboard the plane the president took to leave Turkey following reports of a potential threat from Iran.
