WASHINGTON — Questions are mounting over the growing influence and access of Natalie Harp, one of President Donald Trump’s most visible aides, after she was among a small group of officials who accompanied the president on a secret flight out of Turkey last month.
Harp travelled with Trump aboard a smaller C-32A aircraft after the president was discreetly moved from Air Force One during a security scare at the end of a NATO summit in Ankara. The operation was reportedly prompted by a credible threat involving a possible missile attack on the presidential aircraft.
While several senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, remained aboard the larger aircraft, Harp was among the aides selected to accompany Trump on the alternate flight. Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and Oval Office operations director Walt Nauta were also on the aircraft, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The episode has intensified scrutiny of Harp’s unusually close proximity to Trump and the extent of her role inside his inner circle.
Harp, 35, serves as a special and executive assistant to the president and is frequently seen accompanying Trump during travel and at political events. She previously worked as a television host at One America News Network before joining Trump’s political operation.
She first attracted Trump’s attention after publicly crediting his “Right to Try” policy with helping her obtain access to experimental cancer treatment. She later spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention and joined Trump’s team in 2022.
Within the Trump circle, Harp became known as the “human printer” because of her habit of supplying the president with printed material. Her responsibilities have since expanded, with reports indicating that she helps manage information reaching Trump and has been involved in his Truth Social activity.
Her growing visibility has also attracted political criticism. Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia recently raised questions about Trump’s closeness to Harp, prompting a strong response from the White House and Trump allies, who defended her loyalty and work ethic.
The scrutiny comes as questions about Trump’s highly personalised style of governance and the people with direct access to him continue to attract attention in Washington.
For Harp, however, the White House has portrayed her as a trusted and hardworking member of the president’s team, while reports about her increasing access have made her one of the more closely watched figures within Trump’s inner circle.
