'Loves me as much as Melania': Trump's remarks for aide Natalie Harp spark storm

Trump has also repeatedly told staffers that Harp will stay by his side and "will never leave me."

Published on: Aug 20, 2026, 14:42:39 IST

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President of the United States, Donald Trump, has stated that his close aide Natalie Harp, is probably the only person who "loves him as much as his wife," First Lady Melania Trump and his children.

Trump has also repeatedly told staffers that Harp will stay by his side and "will never leave me."

“All of you will go off and make money. She’ll never leave me," Trump was quoted as saying in the book Regime Change, released by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Johnathan Swan.

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After Trump's second run in the White House, Harp was brought on board as the executive assistant to the president.

In a recent video, Harp was seen sitting next to Trump, drafting his posts on Truth Social as the US President rambled.

Before her stint in the White House, Harp worked as an anchor on right-wing news channel One America Network and later joined Trump's campaign in 2022.

Apart from Trump's remarks for Harp, reports have also claimed that the executive assistant has also written a series of adoring letters to Trump, including one which said: “You are all that matters to me.”

Trump-Harp relationship sparks row

The recent remarks and revelations have sparked a row in Washington, with many, including Harp's family, calling the obsession with each other "unhealthy."

Speaking to CNN, Harp's brother has described her relationship with the president as an "unhealthy obsession." He added that his sister had also written similar letters to other presidents, but it seemed to have worked with Donald Trump.

Another reason for the upset in Washington is the lack of security clearance for Harp. As per the NYT book and other media reports, Harp worked at the White House for over a year without the routine security clearance required for West Wing staff.

As per MS NOW, Harp also declined to undergo a clearance check for unknown reasons, and ultimately, these checks were stopped after Trump intervened.

Dismissing these reports, outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Harp does have security clearance.

“Natalie Harp has a security clearance like everyone else, and she is a loyal and hardworking member of President Trump’s team,” she told MS NOW.

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