Sen. Jon Ossoff Criticizes Donald Trump for Traveling With Aide Natalie Harp Instead of Focusing on Duties: 'He Doesn't Want to Do the Job'

During a campaign rally in Atlanta, Ga., Democratic rising star Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia directly attacked President Donald Trump, accusing him of neglecting his official duties during a conflict with Iran to spend time golfing, trading stocks and traveling with his ubiquitous 35-year-old White House aide, Natalie Harp.

Ossoff contrasted the president's actions with the extended deployment and poor conditions faced by U.S. service members, specifically referencing sailors who have spent nearly nine months at sea aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

“While the sailors on the Lincoln fight his war, while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves, the president sleeps through his meetings,” Ossoff said. “He golfs and trades stocks. See, he doesn’t want to do the job; he wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie to their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.”

The 39-year-old senator, who has dismissed talks of running for president in 2028, pointed to official travel records and spending documents, accusing the administration of blurring the lines between official government business and political operations.

Ossoff's "flying palace" remark refers to a recently disclosed incident in which Trump allegedly used a secret decoy operation. Amid Iranian assassination concerns, Trump quietly switched to a military aircraft via a catering truck, bringing along a small inner circle that included Harp. High-ranking officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio were left behind on the primary Air Force One.

Harp, a former One America News Network host, has been a constant presence by Trump's side since joining his team. Reports from a recent book by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan state that Trump views her as a vital source of comfort, while critics and media figures have increasingly scrutinized their close bond.

The public jab by Ossoff marks a rare instance of a high-profile lawmaker explicitly bringing rumors and internal scrutiny regarding the president's personal staff dynamics directly onto the campaign trail.

Harp’s estranged brother, Preston Harp, publicly criticized his sister's relationship with the president, describing it as "very unhealthy" and stating that she acts less like a staff member and more like Donald s personal "fan club."

He attributed her devotion to the strict "American exceptionalism" and fundamentalist Christian homeschooling curriculum they were raised on.

While Preston distanced himself from those teachings, he noted that Natalie, whom he described as "infatuated" with the president, embraced them and found a match in Trump’s "America First" agenda.

Natalie has increasingly replaced Melania Trump’s presence at official events, public appearances and day-to-day life at the White House.

Public speculation peaked when Donald arrived at Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral with Natalie. Melania skipped the service entirely, leaving critics to note that Natalie was physically filling the space where the first lady would normally stand.

According to the Swan/Haberman bombshell, the elderly POTUS reportedly told White House staff that Natalie was the only person who loved him as much as his wife and children did, and confidently predicted that she would "never leave" him.