CNN and MS NOW have devoted extensive coverage to Natalie Harp, a close aide to former President Donald Trump. Harp became the focus of media attention following a reference by Senator Jon Ossoff, suggesting an inappropriate relationship between her and Trump. Ossoff later distanced himself from the comment.
Over a week since the incident, CNN and MS NOW continue their in-depth coverage of Harp, with CNN mentioning her name 318 times and MS NOW exceeding 400 mentions as of mid-Tuesday. The media’s focus includes Harp’s letters to Trump, her absence of security clearance, and her travel with Trump.
The media scrutiny intensified after reports surfaced about her involvement in Trump’s secret plane switch out of Turkey. Additionally, old social media posts showing her strong support for Trump on January 6 have been highlighted.
CNN faced criticism from conservatives for interviewing Harp’s estranged brother, Preston Harp. The White House chastised CNN’s Kristen Holmes for asking Trump about Ossoff’s comment, leading to a strong rebuttal from CNN.
The conservative Media Research Center criticized CNN and MS NOW for attacking Harp, associating their coverage with their stance against Trump. “They’re more than willing to invoke someone else and drag their name through the mud,” stated Curtis Houck, managing editor at NewsBusters.
Requests for comments from CNN and MS NOW went unanswered.