Trump Aide Natalie Harp Has 'The Qualities of a Stalker' and Welcomes Being Stalked, Mary Trump Says

Mary Trump has described her uncle's close aide Natalie Harp as possessing 'the qualities of a stalker,' claiming President Donald Trump welcomes the attention in a dynamic she said is unlike anything she has witnessed.

The clinical psychologist and author made the remarks during an appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast, hosted by Joanna Coles, in an episode published on 8 October.

Mary Trump has been questioning the nature of her uncle's bond with Harp for months, but her latest comments go further than previous warnings about the arrangement being 'creepy' or inappropriate.

She told Coles that Harp is 'a different type entirely' compared to other Trump loyalists, suggesting there is 'something seriously wrong with her' psychologically.

Mary Trump Calls Trump Aide Natalie Harp a 'Stalker'

'I think there's something psychologically wrong with her. She needs help. She has the qualities of a stalker,' Mary Trump said, according to the podcast. 'And it's the only case I've ever seen in which the stalking victim has welcomed being stalked.'

Mary Trump said she believes her 80-year-old uncle accepts Harp's devotion because, in her view, he lacks meaningful relationships with people who genuinely care about him. She characterised his relationships as largely transactional and said Harp was willing to fill that role.

'I think that is in part because Donald is not getting the attention he needs, because nobody cares about him which makes sense because he doesn't care about anybody,' she said. 'And she's willing to fill that role.'

Mary Trump also referred to two letters attributed to Harp and published by The Daily Beast, reportedly written during or after Trump's 2023 trip to Scotland and Ireland. In the letters, Harp referred to Trump as her 'Guardian and Protector' and wrote that she did not want to let him down. She described herself as 'unworthy'.

Harp's estranged brother, Preston, has also criticised his sister's devotion to Trump. He has described her relationship with the president as an 'unhealthy obsession' and said she was 'just like his fan club.' He has also suggested that her attachment to Trump may be connected to their father's death.

Why Trump Aide Natalie Harp Remains Close to President

Mary Trump suggested the relationship reveals deeper cracks within the Trump inner circle. 'Every single relationship Donald has is transactional,' she said. 'It should become obvious to him that, you know, his children don't care about him any more than he cares about them. And, you know, those relationships are determined purely by who's getting what of whom.'

Mary Trump contrasted Harp with other Trump supporters, saying she believed Harp appeared willing to tolerate treatment or circumstances that other aides might not.

'There are limits when people are sycophantic enablers. Even they have limits to the amount they are willing to be humiliated or have their lives in danger,' Mary Trump said. 'Natalie Harp is a different type entirely.'

The president's niece also highlighted what she sees as a double standard in how the relationship is perceived. 'If an 81-year-old Democratic president was hanging out with a 35-year-old woman and spending more time with her than he did anybody else in his family, I'm pretty sure there would be a problem,' she said. 'But this is a different world we live in now.'

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung has previously dismissed Mary Trump's criticism of Harp, calling her 'a stone-cold loser who doesn't have a clue about anything.'

Trump has also reportedly told staffers that Harp 'will never leave me,' according to reporting by journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan in their book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.

Claims concerning the nature of Harp's personal relationship with President Donald Trump remain unsubstantiated. Mary Trump's comments are her own characterisations, while other claims are based on published reports and statements attributed to individuals involved.

Neither the White House nor Harp has publicly confirmed allegations of a personal relationship beyond their professional association. Readers should therefore distinguish between documented facts, attributed claims and speculation.

Mary Trump's comments come amid renewed scrutiny of Harp following Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff's remarks about Trump wanting to 'travel with Natalie' during a campaign rally. Ossoff has criticised the president's frequent travel with Harp and her prominent role around him.

Harp, a former One America News Network host, currently serves as special assistant and executive assistant to the president. White House salary disclosures show Harp earns $150,000 (£113,000) a year.

In July, Harp was among a small group of aides who accompanied Trump on a secret flight from Turkey aboard a smaller C-32A aircraft after reported threats to Air Force One. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and aides Walt Nauta and Dan Scavino were also on the flight, according to reporting by CBS News and Reuters.

'What is she doing there? Why is she with him?' Mary Trump asked in an earlier Substack post. 'Why is it that, out of that tiny number of people, he decided that she's one of four who should not be blown up?'