- Natalie Harp declined multiple times over more than a year to seek a routine security clearance normally obtained by West Wing staffers to work at the White House, according to two people familiar with the matter.
- After concerns mounted among the White House counsel’s office and security officials, President Trump himself intervened, and Harp in recent months filled out the forms to launch a formal federal background investigation and received the clearance.
- The lack of a security clearance is one of several red flags raised about Harp internally by Trump’s top aides since he returned to the White House in January 2025.
- Harp’s proximity to the president in the West Wing and his residence gives her access to the most sensitive information around Trump, more than nearly all other senior White House officials.
- Harp plays into the less productive and more troublesome parts of his nature, putting things in front of him that aren’t vetted, one of the people said.
- There have been subtle moves to limit Harp’s round-the-clock access to Trump from top staff that have been unsuccessful.
- Harp received multiple extensions to fill out the necessary paperwork, some centered on her unbridled access to Trump, while others dealt with her failure to obtain a security clearance.
- Harp was thrust into the spotlight with the recent revelation that she was among the handful of aides accompanying the president inside a catering cart at an airport amid security concerns in Turkey.
Natalie Harp, a close aide to President Trump, worked at the White House for over a year without a security clearance, raising significant concerns among officials.12
According to sources, Harp declined multiple requests to obtain the routine security clearance required for West Wing staffers.
“The lack of a security clearance is one of several red flags raised about Harp internally by Trump’s top aides,” one source noted.3
As worries escalated within the White House counsel’s office and security officials, Trump himself intervened, prompting Harp to finally fill out the necessary forms for a federal background investigation.
“Harp plays into the less productive and more troublesome parts of his nature, putting things in front of him that aren’t vetted,” said one national security official, highlighting the risks associated with her unfiltered access to the president.
Despite attempts by senior staff to limit her access, Harp maintained her position close to Trump, even accompanying him in a catering cart during a recent trip amid security concerns in Turkey.
Harp gained national attention in 2020 when she delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention, crediting Trump for saving her life through the Right to Try Act, which allowed her to receive experimental treatment for bone cancer.
The situation underscores the complexities of security protocols within the White House and the implications of personal relationships on national security.
“Harp's lack of security clearance raised multiple red flags among Trump's aides since his return to the White House in January 2025. Despite concerns about her unvetted access to sensitive information, attempts to limit her access have been unsuccessful, highlighting ongoing tensions within the administration.”
MS NOW
