Natalie Harp's 'tensions' with Melania Trump laid bare as she 'pushed to demolish' office
Natalie Harp's 'tensions' with Melania Trump laid bare as she 'pushed to demolish' office
Matthew DaviesWed, August 19, 2026 at 10:31 AM UTC
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Natalie Harp’s alleged rivalry with Melania Trump has been thrust into the spotlight -Credit:KEN CEDENO, AFP via Getty Images
Natalie Harp's alleged rivalry with Melania Trump has been thrown into the public eye, with claims from an author that the aide advocated for "getting rid" of the White House'sEast Wing. Harp has come under increased media attention in recent weeks due to her supposed closeness to the POTUS, having earned a reputation for being "ever-present" in his orbit and earning the moniker of Trump's "human printer".
In their book Regime Change, New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan claim the aide left private notes for Trump, with one allegedly reading: "You are all that matters to me."
Author Michael Wolff and journalist Joanna Coles recently discussed Harp and the array of female aides around the president, whom Joanna characterized as "mini-Melanias." It comes after claims that Harp reportedly jumped into a car trunk in order to remain in the vicinity of the president.
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Among those staffers was his first-term White House communications director Hope Hicks. In a recent article for his Substack, HOWL, Michael suggested that Hicks "looked like Melania".
Joanna suggested that it's "really Natalie versus Melania" -Credit:Getty
And with Hicks's arrival, Michael said it "began a pattern of Trump's female aides" being "confused with Melania" by journalists.
Michael also suggested in The Daily Beast'sInside Trump's Head that there were "tensions" between Melania and Trump's "other wives", as he refers to them in his piece, and "human printer" Harp "specifically".
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Joanna suggested that it's "really Natalie versus Melania". Michael responded: "Yes, and even people within the White House say that Natalie was one of the people who argued for the ballroom and getting rid of the East Wing."
When Joanna voiced her astonishment at this assertion, he claimed: "And people see this around Trump that she is working. She has worked to put herself into the position that she is the woman closest to Donald Trump."
The Office of the First Lady was historically housed in the White House's East Wing, but it was demolished to make way for Trump's purported $400m ballroom project, with a former staffer suggesting the office is now "virtually non-existent".
Harp has attracted media scrutiny in recent weeks -Credit:Getty
Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House communications director, previously told The Daily Beast: "Let's say the First Lady's office, her office, is virtually non-existent. It's not staffed, and she's not working on projects like she was in the first term. And, you know, and I think people understood that going in."
In recent months, Melania has largely stayed out of the political spotlight, making few public appearances and seemingly focusing on other ventures, including her 2026 documentary film, Melania.
Anthony further suggested that Donald and Melania had become "distant". When questioned about his perception of their relationship, he remarked: "I think it's distant, you know, and I think it's distant for a number of different reasons. But I think they probably have grown apart.
"And I think her attitude is she's not going to embarrass him. He's the president of the United States, and she will serve as First Lady. But I think it's pretty clear that they're not living together.
"And I think it was probably pretty clear to the journalists in Trump one that they weren't living together. But that doesn't mean that she's not going to show up and be friendly, and she's not going to do certain things."
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
