Fact Check: Did Trump aide Natalie Harp work at WH without security clearance for a year?

WASHINGTON, DC: A recent report has triggered questions about whether President Donald Trump’s aide Natalie Harp worked at the White House for a year without a security clearance.

The claim has gained attention as Harp faces growing scrutiny over her close access to Trump and her role in his inner circle. This follows recent reports about her relationship with Trump and the personal letters reportedly written to him. Let’s fact-check the claim about Harp’s security clearance.

Claim: Natalie Harp worked at WH without security clearance for a year

The rumor stemmed from an MS NOW report that cited two unnamed sources familiar with the matter. 

The report said Harp had “declined multiple times over more than a year to seek a routine security clearance normally obtained by West Wing staffers to work at the White House.”

The claim later spread on Facebook and X. One user said Harp had “declined” to get a security clearance and added, “You either get one, or you don't have a job.”

The user said in a post, “She “declined?” “Declined”? You can’t just decline to get a security clearance. You either get one, or you don’t have a job. So much dysfunction in this White House. When will the GOP have had enough? Why risk the country for this?”

Another user shared, "It’s absolutely insane. You can’t — or you sure as hell shouldn’t be able to — just opt out of a personnel security investigation. This administration is treating national security lessons that we’ve learned in blood like they’re simply a suggestion."

Fact Check: The claim is unverified

The claim remains unverified. The report that Trump’s aide Natalie Harp worked without a security clearance for a year relied on unnamed sources, and the White House has not independently confirmed how long Harp worked without clearance.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not directly address how long Harp may have worked without clearance. In an emailed response, she said, “Natalie Harp has a security clearance like everyone else, and she is a loyal and hardworking member of President Trump’s team.”

According to MS NOW, several White House officials raised concerns about Harp’s lack of clearance. Trump then asked her to complete the required paperwork, and she eventually received the clearance.

The report said the issue also added to concerns about Harp’s role in the White House. It said she “operates unusually close to the president and filters much of the information Trump sees daily, and that proximity has spurred frustration inside the West Wing.” 

A senior White House official familiar with the clearance process also told MS NOW that Harp received several extensions to submit the required paperwork. The security clearance form is 136 pages long.