Preston Harp Says Sister Natalie's 'Loyalty to Trump' Began in Childhood, Including Letters to Past Presidents

Preston Harp, the estranged brother of White House aide Natalie Harp, revealed on CNN's OutFront that her fierce loyalty to President Donald Trump stems from a deep-rooted childhood infatuation with the presidency, which included writing unreturned letters to past U.S. presidents starting around age 16.

Speaking with anchor Erin Burnett, Preston, 38, disputed Natalie's claim that President Trump was her "first exposure to politics," attributing her outlook instead to their devout Christian homeschooling and upbringing centered around American exceptionalism.

Preston noted that he and Natalie, 35, were homeschooled by their mother and raised under a strict curriculum emphasizing American exceptionalism, which he believes laid the groundwork for an unyielding conservative worldview.

“Trump is like everything that my mom taught us to respect so I think that's where her infatuation for Trump comes from," Preston said.

According to Preston, his sister began writing letters to previous commanders-in-chief (such as a note sent to President George Bush during the Iraq War) years before connecting with Trump, remarking that working in the current administration felt like her childhood "dream came true.”

"I'd say since she was like 16, she's had an obsession with—gosh, how do I explain this? She's written letters to other presidents,” he said. “And so, like, her dream came true finally."

Characterizing her intense proximity and gatekeeping role as an "unhealthy obsession" as a lead member of the “president’s fan club” rather than anything personal or physical, Preston expressed sadness over the dynamic.

He urged his sister to reconsider her total immersion in the political spotlight.

While Natalie has credited President Trump with saving her life after her cancer diagnosis, Preston clarified that the evolving insurance laws played a bigger role.

Natalie, a former host and presenter for the far-right One America News Network, first gained national prominence in 2019 by publicly sharing her survival story as a Stage 2 bone cancer fighter, a diagnosis she received following a severe 2015 medical error involving an accidental injection of sterile water.

After failing two rounds of standard chemotherapy and being rejected from clinical trials, Natalie credited President Trump’s 2018 Right to Try Act for saving her life by granting her access to an experimental treatment.

"It's not like he saved her life. It's different,” he said.

Preston reacted to CNN reporting that during an October 2023 lower Manhattan court appearance, Natalie allegedly jumped into the trunk of a motorcade vehicle because there was no room left in the passenger cabin and she refused to be left behind.

"It's actually sad. That's like an unhealthy obsession,” he said.

The interview followed public criticism from Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who questioned the aide's intense gatekeeping and influence within the administration.

Natalie currently manages direct access to the president's social media feeds. While her brother expressed worry over the isolation it causes, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Natalie, calling her one of the "most loyal and hardest-working aides on President Trump's team.”

Preston said he remains worried for his estranged sister.

"I love you. I hope that you change and that you wake up,” he said.