The White House is facing significant scrutiny regarding the security clearance status of Natalie Harp, an executive assistant to President Donald Trump. Reports from the MS Now network indicate that Harp performed her duties for a full year without obtaining the routine clearance typically required for such a position. Sources cited by the network claim that Harp initially refused to complete the necessary background investigation paperwork for reasons that remain unclear.
The situation only changed after intervention from the White House counsel’s office and President Trump himself, which eventually led Harp to submit the required forms and receive clearance. This delay has drawn sharp criticism from former government officials and ethics experts who argue that the lapse posed potential risks to national security.
Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics tsar and co-founder of Democracy Defenders Action, labeled the situation "shocking." Eisen stated, "Treating access to confidences as a casual job perk is an outrageous way to handle our national security." He further criticized the administration for allegedly setting aside established protocols to accommodate the president's preferences.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the report by stating that Harp currently holds the necessary security clearance and described her as a "loyal and hardworking member of President Trump’s team."
Other former officials expressed serious concerns about the implications of the delay. David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Barack Obama, remarked that if the reports are accurate, the lack of clearance for an individual with close proximity to the president’s thinking is a "deadly serious issue." Richard Painter, a former chief ethics lawyer for George W. Bush, noted that while not all staff require security clearance, those who accompany the president on travel—such as on Air Force One—where they might overhear classified information, must be vetted. Painter emphasized that "right then and there she needs a security clearance."
Comparisons were also drawn to the first Trump administration, specifically the case of Jared Kushner, who was granted clearance only after the president overruled concerns from intelligence officials. Donald K. Sherman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington noted a "disturbing trend" of providing excessive flexibility regarding security vetting for those closest to the president.
Harp, 35, has been a prominent figure in Trump’s orbit, having joined his team after working with the One America News Network. Known for her intense loyalty, she has been nicknamed "the human printer" for providing the president with favorable news coverage. Recent accounts highlight her dedication, including an incident where she reportedly rode in the trunk of an SUV to attend a court appearance with the president, and her presence on a military aircraft during a secret trip to Turkey last month. Her devotion is further documented in the book Regime Change, which features letters where she told the president, "You are all that matters to me."
The controversy intensified this week after Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff criticized the president for his focus on his entourage, including Harp, rather than his official duties. This triggered a strong response from the White House and sparked widespread public speculation.
Harp, 35, first came to national attention as a cancer survivor and enthusiastic Trump supporter who spoke at the 2020 Republican national convention in Washington. She joined the far-right One America News Network in 2020 and went to work for Trump two years later as he plotted his political resurrection.
She has frequently been at his side ever since. The CNN network reported that in 2023, when Trump was due to appear in court in New York, Harp discovered there was no seat for her in his motorcade so she jumped into the trunk of an SUV, insisting that he had personally asked her to attend.
