A prominent Democratic strategist who served in the Obama White House has voiced criticism of a recent viral attack by Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., targeting former President Donald Trump and his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.
David Axelrod, a key figure in former President Barack Obama's campaigns and administration, stated that while Ossoff's broader message was a "brutal takedown," the specific mention of Harp was "gratuitous and unnecessary."
The remarks came after Ossoff, during a campaign speech, criticized Trump's conduct regarding military actions and presidential duties, then pivoted to mention Harp. "So he doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar," Ossoff said, referring to Trump.
The clip of Ossoff's speech quickly gained traction online, exceeding six million views on X. Axelrod suggested that while the comment might have resonated with some within the Democratic base, it potentially detracted from the core message.
"They distracted and detracted from the power of the message," Axelrod commented on X. He also speculated that the Ossoff campaign may have intentionally amplified the clip's reach.
Ossoff's opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., also condemned the senator's comment, calling it "disgusting" and "unbecoming of a U.S. Senator" to attack a staffer for political gain. Collins noted that the criticism from prominent Democrats like Axelrod validated his position.
However, some online Democratic figures defended Ossoff's tactic. Joanne Carducci, known online as Jojofromjerz, called Ossoff's mention of Harp "genius" and argued that the political landscape has changed, suggesting Axelrod's perspective was outdated.
Ossoff himself appeared unfazed by the controversy, stating on MSNOW that "no one cares about their feelings" and that White House staffers are "adults, public officials paid by the taxpayers with immense power in positions of public trust."
Trump responded to Ossoff's remarks by calling the senator a "Pee-wee Herman look-alike" and defending the White House's ballroom construction, which has faced scrutiny from both parties.