Chief Critics
Trump fired back at Ossoff when asked for a response to Ossoff’s comments about Harp, telling reporters on Monday, “you mean Pee Wee Herman?” White House spokesperson Steven Cheung also attacked Ossoff on X, writing, “instead of denigrating hard working people serving their country, Jon should look deep into his soul and ask himself why he’s a miserable person who hates this country. It’s because he’s a radical, extremist Dumocrat.” CNN pundit Scott Jennings on Monday blasted the seeming undertone of Ossoff’s remarks, tweeting: “This is quite a message for the Democratic Party to send to young women working in politics. Party of women? Pretty ugly stuff.”
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Key Background
Harp, 35, entered Trump’s orbit in 2019, after she praised legislation he signed that she said allowed her to obtain experimental treatment for bone cancer. She spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention and worked on Trump’s 2024 campaign. She was hired at the start of Trump’s second term as executive assistant to the president. Harp’s level of control over the flow of information to Trump raised concerns among some in Trump’s circle that she could have undue influence over his perception of current events and his social media posts, The New York Times reported previously, citing unnamed sources who said she often sourced news from conspiratorial sources and fed Trump positive press about himself. Harp is often the final eye on many of Trump’s incendiary social media posts, dictating his rants and pressing the button to post them, alarming other aides who aren’t there to stop them, according to The Times.Haberman and Times reporter Jonathan Swan also wrote in their book “Regime Change,” released in July, that Harp left “adoring” and “intimate” letters to Trump that “raised the eyebrows of the Secret Service during the campaign,” Swan told CNN last month. “She’s just totally devoted to him. In Oval Office meetings she sits on the chair at the side of the room with her laptop open,” Swan said.
Tangent
Harp, along with aides Dan Scavino and Walt Nauta, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, were shuttled off Air Force One with Trump and onto another jet while departing Turkey last month amid an alleged threat from Iran. Trump reportedly secretly switched planes on a catering cart, leaving journalists and other Cabinet officials aboard the so-called decoy jet.
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further reading
Devoted Aide Who Keeps Good News Flowing Will Follow Trump to the White House (New York Times)
Even Some Cabinet Members Didn’t Join Trump’s Secret Flight. Here’s Who Did. (New York Times)
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Who is Natalie Harp? Ossoff ignites personal feud over Trump’s aide (CNN)