Fact Check: Did Natalie Harp influence Trump’s decision to ban CNN, Politico and MS NOW?

WASHINGTON, DC: Several unverified claims are circulating online after President Donald Trump decided to ban CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from the White House. 

One recent rumor claims that Natalie Harp influenced Trump’s decision by showing him negative coverage from the outlets, including a Politico graphic and television clips criticizing his administration. Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim: Natalie Harp was responsible for Trump's decision to ban news outlets

The rumor came from an X user who claimed that Natalie Harp was responsible for Trump’s decision to ban CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from the White House. 

The post described the decision as a major controversy and wrote, “Natalie Harp was the one responsible for Trump's disastrous decision to ban CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from the White House — and the details are jaw-dropping.”

The post then referred to reports about what happened before the ban. It claimed that people familiar with the matter told CNN that Harp showed Trump negative coverage from the three outlets. 

The post said, “A graphic from Politico reportedly ‘infuriated’ him and television footage of anchors tearing into the administration's failures sent him over the edge.”

The X user also questioned Harp’s role in the White House and described her position as unusual. The post said, “Harp, who serves as Trump's ‘special assistant and executive assistant,’ is one of the most bizarre fixtures of the current administration.” 

It then questioned whether her close access to Trump was due to her loyalty and claimed that she was not qualified to have such influence over the president.

The post also placed responsibility on Trump for the decision and criticized his approach to the media. It stated, “Of course, even if Harp was responsible for tilting Trump into this unprecedented attack on the First Amendment, the buck ultimately stops with him.” 

The post then made broader claims about Trump’s views on free speech and accused him of wanting more control over the government.

The post ended by claiming that Harp was encouraging Trump’s alleged desire for greater control and called for her to be held accountable.

Fact Check: The claim is false

The claim that Natalie Harp was responsible for Trump’s decision to ban CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House is misleading.

Reports say Harp showed Trump negative coverage from the outlets before he announced the ban.

CNN reported that she showed him a Politico graphic that reportedly angered him, along with television clips criticizing his administration. However, these reports rely on sources familiar with the matter and do not establish that Harp alone caused the decision.

Trump himself said the ban resulted from what he described as years of negative coverage. He said the decision was based on “cumulative stories over the last two years,” rather than pointing to one specific incident or person.

The original post also described Harp as “wholly unqualified” and claimed that she was encouraging Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. These are opinions and cannot be verified as factual claims.

Reports about Harp’s close role around Trump and her work handling materials for him are separate from the question of who made the decision to ban the outlets.

Therefore, while reports indicate that Harp’s presentation of critical media coverage may have influenced Trump’s thinking, there is no evidence that she was solely responsible for the ban.