Natalie Harp, the 35-year-old aide known as Donald Trump's “human printer”, has become one of the most constant figures in his inner circle, travelling with him even during a recent security scare at a NATO summit. Her closeness to the 80-year-old president has become a growing talking point in Washington, with her unusual access and intensely loyal language fuelling fascination.
Flying with the President
During Trump's escape from the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, following a credible Iranian assassination plot, Harp was among the few aides who flew with him on a secret military plane. The president was transferred from the expected aircraft to another, reportedly travelling across the airport hidden inside a catering truck. Harp was joined by deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, Oval Office operations director Walt Nauta, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Several senior figures were left behind on the decoy aircraft, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Stephen Miller, one of Trump's longest-serving advisers. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also remained on the plane, announcing her resignation days later.
A trusted aide
Harp's official role as executive assistant barely captures her access. She travels extensively with Trump, helps manage the information presented to him daily, and is heavily involved in his Truth Social account. She reportedly carries a laptop, paper and a portable printer, producing flattering articles and praise for Trump to read, earning her the nickname “human printer”. She also helps assemble material for his social media posts, giving her a remarkable position close to his communication with supporters.
Republican congressman Ronny Jackson, Trump's former White House physician, said in 2024: “She keeps everybody in a really good mood, and most importantly, she keeps the president in a really good mood.”
Loyalty and controversy
Harp's devotion to Trump began before she joined his staff in 2022. She first came to attention in 2019 after speaking about her battle with stage II bone cancer and praising Trump for signing the 2018 Right to Try Act. At the 2020 Republican National Convention, she told him: “I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for you.”
Her reported notes to Trump, including one reading “You are all that matters to me”, have been highlighted in the book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles reportedly wondered privately: “Where am I?” Her estranged brother Preston Harp has described the relationship as “very unhealthy” and suggested she sees Trump as a father figure.
The White House has pushed back against attempts to portray Harp's closeness as sinister. Spokesman Kush Desai has described her as a “beloved White House Official” and said the media would never understand what it was like to be “as trusted and admired as her”.
