Trump allies lashed out at The Washington Post on Sunday after it published an in-depth report on the family of top Trump aide Natalie Harp. The story was based largely on interviews with her estranged brother.
In the piece, Terrence McCoy wrote that Preston Harp said the family split apart after their father died by suicide in 2020. Preston also said their father “was not a fan” of Trump. He has since moved to Nicaragua and embraced the Sandinista cause.
Katie Miller, a former DOGE adviser and the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, called the story “a one-sided profile” that “dwells on painful, intimate details of a private family tragedy from six years ago.”
“Natalie is a loyal White House staffer who does not do interviews or seek media attention,” Miller wrote on X. “The piece implies the only reason for her loyalty to President Trump is family turmoil. That framing is baseless.”
She also objected to the Post asking the White House for comment on the death. “This is gross and fails basic human decency,” Miller wrote. “The Legacy Media is broken beyond repair if this is what they resort to for clicks and sales.”
Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz shared her post and added: “This is really sick. Natalie Harp does not deserve this treatment. What is wrong with the media??”
Hans Mahncke, founder of the Counterlawfare Institute, said the Post had marked the 35th anniversary of Clarence Thomas’ confirmation testimony “by rummaging through Natalie Harp’s private family tragedy for yet another filthy smear campaign.”
“We cannot rest until this entire corrupt media machine is dead and buried,” he wrote.
Not everyone was sympathetic. One critic replied to Miller by pointing to her role in DOGE’s cuts, writing that she now “DEMANDS human dignity!!!”
The Post reported that it sought comment from Natalie Harp and her mother, Jill, and that neither responded. The White House reportedly did not contest Preston’s account but did not make Natalie available or provide a statement.
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.