Natalie Harp Screening President Trump’s Phone Calls Raises Questions About Access

Callers Meet a New Gatekeeper

Several journalists told The Independent that calls to Trump’s personal number over the previous 48 hours were answered by a young woman who asked callers to identify themselves. The Independent reported a similar exchange on Tuesday night, as midterm election results were coming in.

A longtime White House reporter said he reached Trump only after the president heard the reporter identify himself and said he would take the call. The report identifies Harp as the apparent person screening calls, but does not say she answered every attempt.

A Change From Trump’s Usual Practice

The apparent screening marks a shift from Trump’s longstanding habit of answering his own phone. Trump and his aides had cited that practice as evidence of his accessibility, including in comparisons with previous presidents. The reported change comes as Trump’s approval ratings have reached what the report describes as a low point, while Republicans were losing heavily in the midterm elections.

Harp’s Growing Role

Harp is described as an executive assistant who is frequently at Trump’s side. In recent weeks, she is understood to have moved from her usual desk outside the Oval Office to a place in his private dining room, where she prints news articles and documents for him.

Multiple reports say Harp has repeatedly connected Trump with activist Laura Loomer, who describes herself as an “Islamophobe,” despite objections from other senior staff. Harp was also reportedly responsible for Trump’s September decision to bar CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House.