NEWSJoe Scarborough Says White House Turned Natalie Harp Into a National Meme by Overreacting to Scrutiny: 'They Blew This Up Into a Massive Story'
Natalie Harp became a political meme after the White House responded to scrutiny surrounding her.
Aug. 25 2026, Published 6:20 a.m. ET
Natalie Harp did not need to say anything to become one of the week’s biggest political memes.
The 35-year-old executive assistant to President Donald Trump has drawn intense attention after Sen. Jon Ossoff referenced her at a rally and the White House fired back at reporters asking about it. On Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough suggested the response did more to elevate Harp than Ossoff’s original “throwaway” line.
Joe Scarborough said the White House response turned the scrutiny into a bigger story.
“I thought it was bizarre in this sense, that it was a phrase in a speech that would have come and gone and nobody — it would have been forgotten,” Scarborough said. “But the White House, you talk about protesting too much, the White House actually blew this up into this massive story with a tweet that I just thought was so over the top.”
The Tweet That Changed the Story
The White House Rapid Response account attacked CNN reporter Kristen Holmes after she questioned Donald Trump about Natalie Harp.
Scarborough was referring to posts from the White House Rapid Response account attacking CNN’s Kristen Holmes after she asked Trump about Ossoff’s comment. One post called Holmes “a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession,” while another invoked her children.
“That wild overreaction suddenly led people to say, ‘Why did this hit so close to the bone?’” Willie Geist responded to Scarborough.
Harp has worked with Trump since 2022 and has been described as a near-constant presence, feeding him social media material and traveling close to him, including on the secret “decoy plane” flight after a threat against Air Force One.
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The Psychology Question
Dr. Carole Lieberman said Natalie Harp’s obsession with the president was unhealthy and concerning.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman said the Harp discourse is different from ordinary anti-Trump mockery.
“I am the first to call out Trump Derangement Syndrome in late night TV and elsewhere, but the mocking of Natalie Harp is a different story,” Lieberman said.
“Though I have never met Natalie, it is my opinion that her obsession with President Trump is unhealthy and may reveal some underlying psychological problems,” she added.
From Staffer to Symbol
Natalie Harp drew increased attention as reports highlighted her close proximity to Donald Trump.
The fascination around Harp has grown alongside reports about her proximity to Trump, including gushing letters in which she reportedly wrote that he is “all that matters” to her.
“The lengths that Natalie has gone to in order to be near President Trump — from jumping into the trunk of his car to being in his quarters at the White House — indicate that she could be dangerous, not in a violent way, but in a way that compromises the respect people have for him,” Lieberman noted.
“The sooner President Trump gives her another position — one that doesn’t involve security clearance — the better,” she said. “The longer she’s allowed to indulge in her fantasies about him, the more dangerous she becomes.”
