The White House aide who works alongside President Donald Trump late into the night and helps manage his social media account was the person who posted a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Natalie Harp, 35, is one of Trump’s closest aides. She works out of the Oval Office, has a regular seat on Marine One and texts with world leaders on Trump’s behalf, according to The New York Times.
She also plays a major role in Trump’s social media operation, staying up late with the president and helping draft and publish posts on his Truth Social account.
Among those posts was an AI-generated video depicting the Obamas as apes.
The video was posted to Trump’s account in February and quickly sparked bipartisan outrage. It was later deleted.
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At the time, the White House said a staffer had mistakenly posted the video. Trump said he had seen the beginning of the video but had not seen the offensive portion before it was posted.
Harp and fellow White House aide Dan Scavino were known to have access to Trump’s Truth Social account. But the staffer who posted the video was not publicly identified at the time.
The Wall Street Journal has since reported that Harp posted it.
The reporting comes as Harp herself has suddenly become a much more visible figure in Washington.
Many people online became outraged after learning who posted the video of the former president.
“Natalie Harp is a monster, as evidenced by her posting racist images of the Obamas,” @madonnavancleve wrote on Threads.
“That is so vile that’s all you need to know about her. They deserve each other,” @mmtrd214 added.
“The POTUS is 1000% culpable for everything posted under his name,” @barbly6163 commented.
“His third-grade level posts are an international embarrassment,” @gratefulgardengirl wrote.
In a May interview with The New Yorker, Obama said he tries not to take attacks against himself personally. But he said attacks involving his family cross a line.
“I’m always offended when my wife and kids get dragged into things, because they didn’t choose this,” Obama said. “That’s a line I wouldn’t cross with anyone.”
Spotlight Shift
Harp had largely remained out of the public spotlight until recently.
Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, brought attention to her during a campaign rally, criticizing Harp’s unusual proximity to Trump.
“[Trump] 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.
The White House responded by attacking Ossoff, calling him a “cringeworthy, feminine theatre kid” and a “lightweight loser.”
The comments prompted renewed attention to Harp, including scrutiny of her role in the White House and her relationship with the president.
The New York Times reported that Harp is among the aides who help gather and post material for Trump’s social media followers.
She has also earned the nickname “the human printer” because she regularly prints out information, news articles, and social media posts for Trump to review.
One White House adviser told CNN that Trump values Harp’s loyalty and commitment.
“[Trump] likes the attention and the fact that she is 100% committed and loyal,” the adviser said. “She doesn’t second-guess, doesn’t question.”
Harp earns a taxpayer-funded salary of $150,000, according to The New York Times.
A Republican lawmaker also told CNN that when members of Congress try to reach Trump directly, they make sure Harp is aware.
But the revelation about the Obama video adds another dimension to questions about how much influence Harp has over the president’s online presence.
In February, the White House was reluctant to identify the staffer responsible for the post publicly. CNN reported that people inside Trump’s circle privately suspected Harp was responsible.
One source told CNN the White House was concerned that blaming Harp could further strengthen Trump’s loyalty to her.
The controversy also raises questions about responsibility for material posted from the president’s account.
Although aides may draft or publish posts, Trump’s social media accounts are used to communicate directly with the public, and reporting indicates that Harp often shows him material for approval before publication.
For Obama, the controversy is part of a broader political environment he has described as increasingly hostile and performative.
“There’s this kind of clown show happening online and on TV,” Obama said in a previous podcast appearance. “But when you actually talk to people, they still believe in kindness and respect. That’s what’s been lost in a lot of this.”
