Natalie Harp, 35, Draws Fresh Scrutiny as Trump’s Gatekeeper After Ossoff Attack
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 19
Natalie Harp, 35, Draws Fresh Scrutiny as Trump’s Gatekeeper After Ossoff Attack
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 19
Summary
Natalie Harp, a 35-year-old West Wing aide, has moved into sharper public view after Senator Jon Ossoff singled her out in an attack on President Trump.
The New York Times describes Harp as Trump’s most devoted aide and an unusually powerful gatekeeper—working from the Oval Office, flying regularly on Marine One and relaying messages to world leaders outside normal chains of command.
That scrutiny intensified after Harp was reported to be among the few aides evacuated with Trump from Turkey in an airplane catering container under an Iranian threat.
Ossoff’s remarks triggered a fierce defense from Trump allies, with White House aides, Republican lawmakers and at least one cabinet member accusing him of sexism, while an administration social-media account also attacked a CNN reporter personally.
The episode has turned a rarely seen aide into a broader symbol of Trump’s highly personalized inner circle and its resistance to outside criticism.