Full Breakdown
Natalie Harp’s 2023 Letters to President Trump Prompt Security and Ethical Scrutiny
8/22/2026, 12:29:24 AM
Full Letters Released
The Daily Beast published two handwritten letters that executive assistant Natalie Harp wrote to President Donald Trump in 2023, during and after a golf trip to Scotland and Ireland. The documents were obtained by Trump biographer Michael Wolff while researching his book on the 2024 campaign.
Background & Context
Harp, a former One America News host, joined Trump’s 2024 campaign after crediting the president with saving her life through a 2018 “Right-to-Try” law. She was appointed special assistant and executive assistant in the White House in 2025 and has been described as a constant presence in the Oval Office, handling Truth Social posts, printing news articles, and fielding foreign-leader contacts. Earlier excerpts of the letters appeared in The New York Times and Vanity Fair; the full texts are new.
Data & Statistics
- Salary: $150,000 per year (reported by multiple outlets).
- Travel incidents: May 1 2023 – Harp departed “Trump Force One” at Aberdeen Airport; October 2023 – she rode in the trunk of an SUV to accompany Trump to a New York court appearance; August 16 2026 – Trump and Harp exited Marine One on the Ellipse.
- Security clearance: Harp worked for more than a year without a routine clearance, receiving one only after White House counsel intervened.
Official Statements & Responses
The administration has denied any wrongdoing and framed media coverage as partisan attacks.
Criticism & Opposition
Former Obama adviser David Axelrod called the situation a “deadly serious issue,” warning that a senior aide without clearance could be exposed to classified information. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman said the letters “alarmed the Secret Service” when staff first saw them.
On-the-Ground Reports
The letters reveal Harp’s personal anxieties: she wrote, “Please, when I fail, will you tell me?” In October 2023, Harp reportedly jumped into an SUV trunk after other aides said there was no room for her on the motorcade, insisting Trump had asked her to attend.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
CNN noted it has not independently confirmed that Harp authored the letters, while The Daily Beast and The New York Times present the documents as authentic. MS NOW reported the clearance issue but did not verify the letters themselves. The White House has not disputed the existence of the letters but has not provided an independent verification of their content.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want things to always be right between us,” — Natalie Harp
- “Please, when I fail, will you tell me?” — Natalie Harp
- “You are all that matters to me. I don’t want to ever let you down,” — Natalie Harp
- “Natalie Harp is one of the most loyal and hardest-working aides on President Trump’s team.” — Spokesperson Davis Ingle
These excerpts illustrate Harp’s expressed desire for a flawless relationship with the president, her request for candid feedback, and the White House’s endorsement of her work ethic.
The release of Harp’s letters has intensified debate over the propriety of a senior aide’s personal devotion to the president, the adequacy of security-clearance protocols, and the broader implications for White House staff dynamics.
