The Trump administration criticized journalist Aaron Rupar for highlighting White House executive assistant Natalie Harp accompanying President Donald Trump on a trip to Ireland. This followed weeks of scrutiny after Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff mentioned Harp in a campaign speech.
Rupar posted a photo of Harp with the caption, “Look who made the trip to Ireland!” using a recurring hashtag. The White House-run Rapid Response 47 account responded by describing Rupar negatively for his repetitive posts about Harp.
Rupar frequently shares updates about Harp accompanying Trump, using the hashtag #TravelWithNatalie. This attention stemmed from Ossoff’s comments, which some interpreted as implying an inappropriate relationship between Trump and Harp. Ossoff denied such implications.
Ossoff criticized Trump during a speech, suggesting he focuses more on personal interests than presidential duties. He accused Trump of being more interested in “building his ballroom and traveling with Natalie.” The White House defended Harp, highlighting her as a dedicated aide, while dismissing Ossoff’s remarks.
Rupar’s posts have reignited interest in Harp’s role, prompting extensive media coverage. Fox News reported that media outlets have repeatedly mentioned Harp since Ossoff’s initial comments. NewsBusters Executive Editor Tim Graham stated that Rupar’s posts play into the narrative started by Ossoff’s comments.
Fox News Digital attempted to contact Rupar, the White House, and Ossoff for comments, but responses were not immediately available. Ossoff addressed the media attention, stating his remarks were about the advisors around Trump.
In a previous report, CNN and other networks were noted for mentioning Harp numerous times following Ossoff’s remarks, marking her media presence as significant. The ongoing coverage underscores the attention Harp has received as part of Trump’s administration. CJ Womack, associate editor at Fox News, contributed to this report.