President Donald Trump shouted "Quiet. Quiet. Quiet!" at a CNN reporter on Monday when asked about his relationship with his 35-year-old aide Natalie Harp. The exchange occurred in the Oval Office as Trump was acknowledging 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, who was being honored for a rescue.
CNN Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes posed the question to Trump following remarks made by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff at a rally in Georgia. Ossoff had claimed that Trump would rather "build his ballroom and travel with Natalie" than fulfill presidential duties. Trump responded to Ossoff's comments by calling him a "Pee Wee Herman lookalike" and stating, "we're fixing a White House that hasn't been taken care of."
When Holmes attempted to follow up with a question about South Korea before Trump had finished speaking, the president reacted with anger. "You're very disrespectful in front of this young man," Trump told Holmes, gesturing to Nathaniel Rai. He continued, "You're a loud, boisterous person. You're fake news," repeatedly instructing her to "be quiet."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared visibly upset by Holmes's question and was seen mouthing words to a colleague. The official White House social media account and associated accounts later criticized Holmes, calling her question "disgusting and inhumane" and branding her "a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession."
Holmes, a Senior White House Correspondent at CNN for over 14 years, has not yet commented.
Natalie Harp's role and relationship with Trump have drawn renewed attention. She was among a small group of aides, including former caddy Dan Scavino, who traveled with Trump on a different plane amid an Iranian assassination threat following a NATO summit in Turkey. Israeli intelligence had reportedly warned of an impending attack on Air Force One. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those left on the original plane with journalists.
Harp is also known for her practice of sharing printed articles and social media posts with Trump, earning her the nickname "human printer." She is often seen close to the president at events and on trips. Sources have described Harp as Trump's closest aide, sometimes referred to as his "connective tissue," and noted that she may have more access to him than his chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
Harp's close relationship with Trump was highlighted in a 2024 New York Times article where she wrote, "You're all that matters to me," in a letter to him. In the past, she has been noted to follow Trump while he played golf in Scotland to provide him with news updates.
