Natalie Harp, a long-serving aide to former President Donald Trump, has re-emerged in the public eye due to her close proximity to the former president, prompting comparisons to a "comfort blanket" and highlighting her significant influence.
Reporters and White House insiders have frequently observed Harp standing near Trump in the Oval Office or accompanying him on Air Force One for domestic and international travel. Her constant presence has led some to dub her the "human printer" for her role in providing Trump with hard copies of articles and social media posts, which he prefers.
This role, according to sources familiar with White House operations, grants Harp an outsized ability to influence the information Trump receives. Other anonymous sources have described her as a "gatekeeper" to the former president.
Harp also functions as a social media scribe, posting to Trump's Truth Social account on his behalf. In one widely circulated image, Harp is seen typing a post in Trump's distinctive writing style as he dictates it to her while watching a speech by Kamala Harris.
Amid renewed focus on Harp, the White House has characterized her as a "trusted and valued" team member. Trump himself has rarely discussed her publicly on camera.
The aide's prominent role was recently highlighted by Democrat Jon Ossoff, who noted her closeness to the former president. Trump critics, including Ossoff, have pointed to Harp's presence on a plane Trump boarded to depart Turkey after the U.S. reportedly received information about a threat from Iran.
Maggie Haberman, a reporter who has extensively covered Trump's presidencies, explained Harp's presence on a secret plane departure by saying, "Because she is sort of his binky, for lack of a better way of putting it, a comfort blanket." Haberman and New York Times reporter Michael Kranish reported in 2024 that Harp had written a letter to Trump stating, "You are all that matters to me."
When a CNN reporter recently questioned Trump about Ossoff's comments, the White House issued an angry response via its official X account, denouncing the reporter as "a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession."