Natalie Harp, one of Donald Trump’s closest aides, has reportedly taken on a new duty: screening journalists who call the president’s personal cellphone. The development comes as Trump’s party faces a bruising midterm election defeat, raising questions about his previously touted accessibility to the press.
Journalist reportedly reveals how Natalie Harp is answering Donald Trump’s calls
Donald Trump reportedly has given his aide a gatekeeping role over his personal phone line, a number shared with numerous reporters. Multiple journalists told The Independent that calls placed in the days surrounding the midterm election were answered by a young woman’s voice instead of the president’s.
The pattern appears consistent: the woman answers, asks who is calling, and either connects the caller or keeps them waiting. Politico reporter Dasha Burns encountered the same screening process during an Election Night broadcast. “Hi, may I ask who’s calling?” the woman asked before saying, “One moment, please.” Trump then greeted Burns by name. The Independent said the woman’s voice appeared identical to Harp’s in a recording of her 2020 Republican National Convention speech. One veteran White House reporter also claimed Harp only connected him after Trump overheard their exchange and told her he would take the call.
The arrangement marks a departure from years of claims about Trump’s accessibility. He and his aides have long touted his habit of answering his own phone as evidence that he is more accessible than previous presidents. Harp already plays a significant role in managing the news and information Trump sees. Known as the “human printer,” she prints favorable coverage and social media posts for him. She reportedly now works from his private dining room rather than a desk outside the Oval Office and has posted on his behalf on Truth Social.
Her influence reportedly extends beyond paperwork. Reports have linked Harp to Trump’s September decision to bar CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House after she showed him critical news coverage. For now, reporters who once reached Donald Trump directly may find themselves introducing themselves to a woman believed to be Harp before getting through to the president.
