Natalie Harp accompanied new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia on President Donald Trump's trip to Alaska on Tuesday, hours after Zacharia's abbreviated first briefing drew criticism from an administration official who warned that she needed to improve quickly.
Harp, a longtime Trump aide, walked across the tarmac alongside Zacharia and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles as they boarded Air Force One. Trump publicly defended his new spokeswoman before departing for a campaign rally in Wasilla.
"I thought she did excellent. She did very good," the president said, according to The Associated Press.
The endorsement contrasted with an unnamed administration official's assessment to MS Now. "Getting behind the podium is tough, but she got off on the wrong foot. She needs to get much better, fast. Otherwise, she'll break Scaramucci's record," the official said.
The reference was to Anthony Scaramucci's brief tenure as White House communications director in 2017. It reflected one official's criticism rather than an announced personnel decision or evidence that Trump was considering replacing Zacharia.
Her Oct. 13 briefing lasted just under 14 minutes, with approximately five minutes devoted to questions from conservative news outlets. Much of the appearance consisted of prepared remarks praising Trump and outlining her enthusiasm for the job.
"I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time," Zacharia told reporters.
She also emphasized the administration's campaign schedule, saying she looked forward to working with the press during the final stretch before the midterm elections. Critics focused on her delivery, pauses and expressions, while the White House described the inaugural briefing as "commanding."
Zacharia succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the administration in August. The White House identified Zacharia as its 37th press secretary, placing her in the role during the closing weeks of a campaign to preserve Republican control of Congress.
Harp's responsibilities differ from Zacharia's public-facing assignment. Known as Trump's "human printer," the 35-year-old aide supplies the president with documents and other materials, often remaining close to him during travel and appearances.
Photographs published by The Daily Beast showed Harp smiling beside Zacharia and Wiles during the trip. Additional images captured Harp and Zacharia walking toward Air Force One at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage after the rally; the photographs did not establish whether Harp had any role in advising the new press secretary.
In Wasilla, Trump spoke for roughly 90 minutes at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, according to the AP. He urged Republican turnout and campaigned for Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich, both seeking reelection.
The stop placed Zacharia immediately into the administration's traveling campaign operation after her first briefing. She told reporters that Trump's next scheduled campaign trip would take him to Kentucky on Saturday, ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.
