Natalie Harp’s unwavering devotion to President Trump has drawn public criticism from her own family, with her estranged brother calling the relationship “very unhealthy” after a new book revealed the depth of her personal loyalty to the president.
Preston Harp, 38, told the Daily Mail that his 34-year-old sister’s bond with Trump is troubling. “She’s just like his fan club,” Preston said, describing her relationship with the 80-year-old president as unhealthy. He also called Trump a “national embarrassment,” according to reporting from The Independent and other outlets.
The criticism emerged following the release of “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump,” a new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The book details how Harp, who serves as Trump’s executive assistant without an official title but is known as the “human printer” for her role printing positive news stories for the president, has become one of his most trusted aides.
According to the book, Harp has left handwritten notes for Trump in private spaces, including one that read: “You are all that matters to me.” When Trump began his second term, he told staff that Harp “was the only one who loved him as much as his wife and his kids,” according to AL.com’s reporting on the book. Trump added: “All of you will go off and make money. She’ll never leave me.”
The siblings became estranged in 2020 following the death of their father, Robert Harp, who died by suicide according to an Orange County coroner in California, The Independent reported. Preston said he discovered his sister was working for Trump in 2023 when a friend showed him a news article about it. “I had no idea,” he told the Daily Mail. “It just kind of caused some cognitive dissonance. I don’t understand why my sister, or anyone could want to work for Trump.”
Harp, a former right-wing cable television host, began working for Trump after his first term ended. She had been on Trump’s radar since 2019 when her story of cancer survival caught his attention. He invited her to speak at the 2020 Republican National Convention, and she joined his staff in 2022.
The White House has defended Harp’s role and loyalty. White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said: “Natalie Harp is one of the most loyal and hardest working aides on President Trump’s team.” White House spokesman Kush Desai added in a previous statement: “No president has cultivated as much loyalty among their staffers and administration officials as President Trump; this is a testament to his commitment to our country and its people. Natalie Harp is a beloved White House Official, and the Fake News Media will never understand what it’s like to be as trusted and admired as her.”
The dynamic between Trump and Harp was notable enough that Susie Wiles, Trump’s White House Chief of Staff, reportedly thought to herself, “Where am I?” upon witnessing their interaction, according to the Haberman and Swan book.
Sources
- The Independent — Reported Preston Harp’s Daily Mail interview calling his sister’s relationship “very unhealthy,” Trump a “national embarrassment,” and detailing family estrangement following their father’s 2020 death.
- AL.com — Detailed book excerpts from “Regime Change” showing Trump’s statements to staff about Harp’s loyalty and his prediction she would never leave him.
- Yahoo News — Covered Preston Harp’s criticism of his sister’s relationship with Trump and his characterization of her as “just like his fan club.”
- People.com — Reported on the notes Harp left for Trump, including “You are all that matters to me,” as detailed in the Haberman and Swan book.
- New York Times — Original reporting on Harp’s background as a former cable host and her role in Trump’s administration since 2022.
