Topline
President Donald Trump’s aide Natalie Harp declined to seek routine security clearance for the White House for over a year, MS NOW reported Wednesday, revealing more information about her role as she has been thrust into the spotlight recently over her near-constant proximity to the president.
Natalie Harp, executive assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, listens to a reporter’s question as Trump holds a bilateral meeting with President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office of the White House on July 21, 2026.
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Key Facts
Harp declined to complete the security process that is standard for staffers in the West Wing, rejecting it multiple times over the course of more than a year, according to MS NOW.
Harp’s reasoning for ducking the process was unknown, according to unnamed sources who spoke to MS NOW, who noted concerns from White House security officials led to Trump directly intervening and Harp completing forms needed to launch a formal federal background investigation that resulted in her receiving security clearance.
One national security official has expressed concern Harp’s proximity to Trump and his residence gives her access to more sensitive information than other senior White House officials, MS NOW reported.
Harp, 35, has developed a reputation as a gatekeeper for Trump, providing him with printed poll numbers and physical copies of favorable news coverage.
Forbes has reached out to the White House for comment.
Crucial Quote
Harp “plays into the less productive and more troublesome parts of his nature, putting things in front of him that aren’t vetted,” one of the unnamed sources told MS NOW about Trump and his aide.
Key Background
The simmering controversy around Harp’s perceived closeness with Trump sharply escalated over the weekend when Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., claimed Trump did not want to do his job as president and instead wants to “build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace,” referring to the Qatar-donated Air Force One that was sidelined this summer after reported concerns over its lack of security features. Ossoff doubled down on his comments this week, saying Trump surrounds himself with “sycophants” and aides who act as his “security blanket to make him feel good about himself.” Harp, 35, once wrote a letter to Trump signed, “With all my heart, Natalie,” according to The New York Times. She is a former One America News anchor who credited Trump with saving her life for signing legislation allowing her to access experiential treatment for bone cancer.
Further Reading
‘I Want Things To Always Be Right Between Us,’ Natalie Harp Reportedly Wrote To Trump Forbes)