Fact Check: Did Eric Trump call Natalie Harp 'mom' at an IndyCar race event?

WASHINGTON, DC: A video of Eric Trump speaking with Natalie Harp at an IndyCar race has gone viral, sparking online speculation. Several posts claim Eric called Harp “mom” during their conversation, fueling ongoing discussions about her close relationship with President Donald Trump. But does the video actually show Eric making the remark? Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim: Eric Trump called Natalie Harp 'mom' during their chat at an IndyCar event

Several X users have shared a short clip showing Eric Trump and Natalie Harp smiling and chatting while waiting for President Donald Trump to arrive at the Freedom 250 IndyCar Grand Prix in Washington, DC. 

The original post captioned the footage, “Eric Trump chats with Natalie Harp as they await Donald at the IndyCar race.”

The clip quickly sparked jokes and speculation, with several users claiming that Eric called Harp “mom” during their conversation. One user wrote, “Eric: ‘Are you my new mom?’” while another asked, “Is he calling her mom now?” Others joked that Harp was Eric’s “future stepmother” or “next stepmom.” However, the footage itself does not clearly establish that Eric made any such remark.

The interaction comes amid increased scrutiny of Harp’s close relationship with President Trump. Eric recently defended her publicly after her brother criticized her devotion to the president, calling Harp “an incredible young woman” and saying she was deeply committed to his father and her job. 

Harp was also seen with the Trump family at the Freedom 250 race, where she spoke with Eric before the event began.

Fact Check: The claim is  false

The claim is false. There is no evidence that Eric Trump referred to Natalie Harp as “mom” or used any similar family-related term in the video.  

A professional lip reader has offered an interpretation of a conversation between Trump’s son, Eric Trump, and his aide Natalie Harp at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

Cameras showed the two chatting before the race, shortly after Eric praised Harp on X as a “hardworking woman” who “got all of the family genetics.”

Lip reader Nicola Hickling told The Mirror US that Harp appeared to say, “Apparently it’s fun,” while discussing the Trump-backed IndyCar race. According to Hickling, Eric replied, “I haven’t seen this many cars.” Harp then said, “Don’t worry, we will have fun,” and Eric responded, “Hopefully.”

Harp also asked whether he thought their car would win and whether he had picked a car number. Eric reportedly replied that he had not and would “just watch.” Harp became one of Trump’s best-known aides after reports revealed that she had written personal letters to him before joining his administration.

She has also credited Trump with helping save her life by allowing experimental cancer treatments to enter the US, one of which she says helped put her cancer into remission.