CNN has turned its attention to longtime Trump aide Natalie Harp after Sen. Jon Ossoff sparked controversy by insinuating there was an improper relationship between her and President Donald Trump — comments Ossoff later walked back.
CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes published a profile of Harp, describing her as part of the president’s “coterie of aides” while examining her position within Trump’s inner circle.
Among the issues raised was speculation surrounding a video associated with Trump’s social media account that briefly displayed a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama as an ape. The account itself did not post that video. Instead, a brief snippet appeared because of an autoplay feature on the platform from which the posted video originated.
Holmes reported that some staffers, speaking anonymously, speculated Harp may have been responsible for posting the original material. However, those sources did not publicly identify her as responsible.
Another episode highlighted in the coverage involved Harp reportedly scrambling to join Trump’s entourage during a trip to a courthouse.
According to the account, there was not enough room in the motorcade for Harp. She loudly protested being left behind before eventually jumping into the back of an SUV, an incident characterized as Harp jumping into an “SUV trunk.”
CNN host Erin Burnett also discussed the episode during an approximately 10-minute interview with Harp’s estranged brother, Preston Harp.
Burnett introduced him to discuss the attention his sister was receiving. When she raised the SUV story, Preston laughed after hearing the anecdote for the first time and offered little additional information about it.
The segment also featured footage showing Natalie Harp has been part of Trump’s team for years, complicating the suggestion that her presence around the president represents something new.
Another video circulating online purportedly offered a revealing look at Harp typing posts for Trump’s Truth Social account as the president spoke nearby.
But the footage was not a newly leaked or secretly obtained recording.
Instead, it came from “The Art of the Surge,” a publicly available television series offering an inside look at Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The documentary had been approved and vetted by Trump’s team.
The footage simply showed Harp working on Trump’s social media account while Trump was present.
The sudden focus on Harp follows Ossoff’s rally remarks, which initially fueled speculation about her relationship with Trump before the Georgia senator backed away from the insinuation.
Despite the attention, Harp is not a newcomer to Trump’s political operation. She has been a close member of his team for years.
CNN’s coverage has nevertheless continued examining her role, including anonymous speculation, the unusual SUV episode and an interview with an estranged family member, even after the remarks that helped ignite the controversy were walked back.
For now, the scrutiny has produced plenty of attention around Harp, but little evidence supporting the more salacious insinuations that initially put her in the spotlight.
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