President Donald Trump’s close aide Natalie Harp reportedly worked in the White House for more than a year without obtaining the security clearance normally required for West Wing staff. The revelation has raised concerns among some administration officials because of Harp’s unusually close access to Trump and her role in filtering information that reaches the president.According to MS NOW, citing four people familiar with the matter, Harp repeatedly declined to complete the process for obtaining a security clearance after joining the White House in January 2025. Her reason for delaying the process was not known. Concerns were eventually raised by the White House counsel’s office and security officials, prompting Trump to intervene, after which Harp completed the necessary paperwork and received clearance in recent months.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt disputed the suggestion that Harp currently lacks clearance, telling MS NOW: “Natalie Harp has a security clearance like everyone else, and she is a loyal and hardworking member of President Trump’s team.”Previous reports have also drawn attention to the unusually personal nature of Harp’s relationship with Trump. The New York Times said she had left affectionate letters for the president expressing strong personal devotion, while one note was signed, “With all my heart, Natalie.” Her estranged brother has also voiced concerns about the closeness of the relationship, describing it as “very unhealthy.”Why Natalie Harp’s access to Trump is under scrutinyThe reported delay is significant because Harp is not an ordinary White House employee. She is frequently close to Trump, including during presidential travel and at his residences, and has access to conversations and information involving the president.MS NOW reported that one national security official expressed concern that Harp’s proximity to Trump gives her access to highly sensitive information. Three other people told the outlet that security concerns involving Harp had been raised internally by Secret Service personnel during Trump's second term.Some of those concerns reportedly involved her unusually broad access to Trump, while others related specifically to her security-clearance process.The ‘Human Printer’ in Trump’s inner circleHarp has developed a distinctive role as an information gatekeeper around Trump. During his 2024 campaign, aides reportedly nicknamed her the “Human Printer” because she regularly printed articles, polling information and other material and personally delivered it to Trump.MS NOW reported that Harp is known to bring Trump favorable coverage, positive polling and messages from people seeking his attention. Sources described concerns that some of the material she presents may not be sufficiently vetted.Her current White House titles are special assistant to the president and executive assistant to the president.How Harp became close to TrumpHarp rose to prominence through her personal story as a cancer survivor and her support for Trump’s Right to Try Act. At the 2020 Republican National Convention, Harp delivered an emotional speech crediting Trump with helping her obtain experimental treatment for bone cancer. She has said the legislation helped save her life.However, medical experts questioned that account. The Washington Post reported in 2020 that the treatment Harp received was an existing FDA-approved drug being used off-label and that she had discussed receiving it before Trump signed the Right to Try legislation.Harp later worked as a host for conservative network One America News Network (OANN) before joining Trump’s political operation in 2022.Harp became increasingly embedded in Trump’s political operation during his 2024 campaign. Her access reportedly continued to expand, with the aide accompanying Trump on presidential trips and remaining close to him inside the White House and at his private properties.The outlet reported that some senior White House officials have attempted to limit Harp’s round-the-clock access to Trump, but those efforts have been unsuccessful.What is the SF-86 security form?The clearance process involves completing the SF-86, a lengthy federal questionnaire used to collect detailed information for background investigations. It includes information such as an applicant’s previous residences, financial history and foreign contacts.A senior White House official told MS NOW that Harp received multiple extensions to complete the paperwork and emphasized that the process can take considerable time.The report does not say that Harp currently lacks a security clearance. Instead, its central allegation is that she spent more than a year working in close proximity to the president before completing the process that ultimately led to her clearance.The White House maintains that Harp now has the required clearance and remains a trusted member of Trump’s team.