Natalie Harp Sticks by Trump as Melania Skips GOP Midterm Convention

Natalie Harp was once again right at President Donald Trump’s side Friday — just days before First Lady Melania Trump is expected to sit out a major Republican gathering in Texas.

Harp, the president’s 35-year-old aide who has drawn intense scrutiny over her unusually close working relationship with Trump, was photographed smiling alongside him in the Oval Office on September 5.

Her latest appearance comes as Melania, 56, prepares to skip the Republican Party’s September 9-10 midterm convention in Dallas.

A White House official confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the first lady is not planning to travel to the event.

Trump, meanwhile, has expanded his own role in the convention.

The president had originally been scheduled to deliver the closing keynote on September 10, but he is now expected to speak on both nights as Republicans attempt to generate excitement ahead of the November midterm elections.

Reuters reported that the change came amid concerns about turnout for the unusual midterm convention.

The event has also attracted attention because a number of Republicans facing competitive races are staying away.

A Daily Beast survey found that only two Republican candidates in competitive House districts had confirmed plans to attend when contacted by the outlet.

While Melania keeps her distance from the Dallas gathering, Harp continues to maintain a highly visible position around the president.

She was also present in the Oval Office on August 31 when Trump announced agreements with nine additional pharmaceutical companies aimed at lowering certain prescription drug prices.

The White House said the agreements brought the total number of participating drug manufacturers to 26. Reuters reported that many specifics surrounding the discounts remain private, while the administration says the deals will reduce costs for Medicaid programs and some consumers.

Harp’s constant proximity to Trump has earned her the nickname the “human printer.”

She has reportedly followed Trump carrying a portable printer so she can quickly provide him with hard copies of news stories, social media posts and other material.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Harp works as a special assistant to Trump and has become known for supplying him with printed material and helping prepare social media posts.

But it is Harp’s intensely personal loyalty to Trump that has generated the most attention.

Two letters she reportedly wrote to Trump in 2023 recently resurfaced, revealing just how devoted she described herself as being to the future president.

In one letter, Harp told Trump that he was “all that matters to me” and called him her “Guardian and Protector.”

She also wrote about wanting a job that would allow her to spend more time around Trump and expressed frustration with people whose roles appeared to involve simply talking with him.

The letters reportedly alarmed some people in Trump’s orbit.

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman recently discussed Harp during a CNN appearance, saying people around Trump — including members of the Secret Service — had become concerned about some of the letters and her behavior while Trump was out of office.

“These letters and some of her behavior alarmed people around the president then candidate, including the Secret Service,” Haberman said.

Haberman also described Harp as an aide who remains extremely close to Trump inside the White House, saying she is frequently only feet away from him in the Oval Office and provides him with information throughout the day.

The New York Times has similarly reported that Harp works from the Oval Office, rarely takes time off and has become one of the president’s most constant aides.

With Melania staying away from next week’s Republican convention and Harp continuing to appear regularly at Trump’s side, the contrasting roles of the two women surrounding the president are once again drawing attention.