Fact Check: Are Trump and Melania officially separating over Natalie Harp?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid scrutiny surrounding President Donald Trump’s closeness to his White House aide Natalie Harp, social media posts claim that the president and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, are separating. The claim has sparked concerns and speculation among online users, requiring a fact-check.
Claim: Donald Trump and Melania Trump are separating
According to two viral posts that appeared on X, Trump and Melania are now separated. The post stated, “This comes as Trump continues his s**ual relationship with assistant Natalie Harp.”
Another post from the same account posted a day earlier stated, “Melania Trump is no longer speaking to her husband Donald. She will not attend any more public events with him, including next week's Republican Convention. This comes as news of Trump's s**ual relationship with Natalie Harp goes viral.”
Mark Slapinski, who describes himself in the bio as Canada’s leading journalist and political commentator, posted the claims.
The posts have garnered hundreds of thousands of views as of this writing, with comments indicating many believe the claim is true.
Fact Check: No official confirmation to support the claim
However, the claim is false since there is no evidence of Trump and Melania separating over the president’s alleged relationship with Harp.
There are no official statements, announcements, or press releases from Trump, the First Lady, or the White House confirming the separation of the couple. The claim that Trump is intimately involved with Harp is also exaggerated and baseless.
If the claim were true, given its sensationalism, it would have been widely covered by media organizations, making headlines, but a search on Google for the claim yielded no credible media reports that support the rumor.
Natalie Harp's close access to Donald Trump draws scrutiny
The claim surfaced as Harp is facing fresh scrutiny for rarely being far from Trump and for her access to the president and her role in his social-media operation, drawing renewed attention.
Recent photographs, including images shared online involving her and Melania Trump, have also put Harp back in the public spotlight.
She has been known within Trump's circle as the “human printer” for supplying him with printed articles, social-media posts, and other material, with reports documenting her accompanying Trump on official trips and visits to his golf properties, including a secure flight from Turkey last month.
However, the White House has described Harp as a loyal and hardworking member of the president's team.
