Natalie Harp labored at White House with out safety clearance for almost a 12 months – report
Natalie Harp, particular assistant to Donald Trump, continues to be the main target of media consideration Thursday after an MS Now report revealed that she had labored on the White House for almost a 12 months with out acquiring a safety clearance.
Harp, a former One America News Network present host, has emerged as a key gatekeeper to the president. Her presence with Trump when the president left Air Force One as a decoy whereas sneaking on to a different aircraft in a service cart – at the same time as senior officers remained behind – drew consideration.
Jon Ossoff, a Democratic senator from Georgia, amplified that focus with feedback at a rally Sunday in Atlanta. Speaking of Trump, Ossoff mentioned: “He golfs and trades stocks. See, he doesn’t want to do the job; he wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie to their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.”
A clip of his commentary went viral on social media, drawing assaults from the president’s defenders.
White House communications director Steven Cheung posted in reply on X: “Jon Jackoff has to be the biggest cuck loser in politics,” whereas White House spokesman Davis Ingle posted, “Jon Ossoff is a cringeworthy, feminine theatre kid cosplaying as Barack Obama. Nobody gives a shit what this lightweight loser says.”
Ossoff marveled on the response to his observations in an interview Wednesday with Laurence O’Donnell on MS Now. “It’s been amazing to watch this White House melt down over this all week,” Ossoff mentioned. “These White House staffers are adults, public officials paid by the taxpayer with immense power in positions of public trust. And whether it’s Natalie Harp printing out Donald Trump’s daily dose of delusion and flattery, or Peter Navarro steering taxpayer-funded loans to Trump family investments, or Pete Hegseth deluding the president daily into deepening this quagmire in the Middle East, no one cares about their feelings.”
The pile on continues: Rosie O’Donnell, a longstanding Trump antagonist filling in Wednesday evening for Jimmy Kimmel, picked on the subject.
“That’s all I’m going to say about you tonight, sweetheart,” O’Donnell mentioned of Trump. ”You bought to comprehend it’s time to hold up your wig and let Natalie tuck you in. Time to go nighty-night!”
Key occasions
Swalwell’s electronics seized and residential raided by FBI – report
An FBI workforce seized digital gadgets from former US consultant Eric Swalwell on the San Francisco airport on Saturday, then raided his residence in Washington, DC, the subsequent day, CNN reported Thursday.
The raid is a part of a federal investigation into the sexual assault allegations which finally drove the Bay Area Democrat to resign from workplace in April, sources conversant in the investigation instructed CNN. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department subsequently opened legal investigations on Swalwell.
The White House launched damaging declassified paperwork this week about Swalwell’s alleged relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy. The paperwork present that Swalwell instructed FBI brokers in 2015 that he had had “physical relations” with Fang when she was campaigning on his behalf as an unpaid volunteer in 2012. Swalwell served on the House Select Committee on Intelligence when he spoke with the FBI in 2015, and remained so by way of their investigation, which didn’t end in prices.
A report by the San Francisco Chronicle on 10 April that Swalwell sexually assaulted an ex-staffer whereas she was too intoxicated to consent was adopted by extra CNN reporting that surfaced three different ladies with detailed allegations of inappropriate conduct.
Historian Heather Cox Richardson weighed in on the eye that White House aide Natalie Harp has drawn over the final week.
In the latest version of Richardson’s “Letters from an American” newsletter, the Boston College historical past professor and widespread author took word of the strident assaults the White House made on CNN reporter Kristen Holmes after she requested Trump about feedback on Harp made by Jon Ossoff at an Atlanta rally Sunday.
“You could almost feel the palpable relief that the White House might be able to gin up a controversy that could rally the base, one that, for the first time in a long time, didn’t automatically show the president or the administration in a bad light,” Richardson wrote. “Undermining Ossoff, whose speeches have been a particularly sharp thorn in the administration’s side lately, appeared to be icing on the cake.”
Richardson described the response as a “Streisand effect,” drawing extra consideration to a topic conservatives would possibly favor to let lie, and “manufactured outrage” which distracts from the different subjects Ossoff raised within the speech – Trump’s profiteering from his service within the White House, the results of the Iran struggle and rising costs for customers.
A White House assembly on cryptocurrency and is amplifying a spike in bitcoin values Thursday.
President Donald Trump – who disclosed $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency earnings from his household’s investments in 2025 – is pushing congress to go the CLARITY Act, which might outline cryptocurrency as a commodity and transfer a lot of its regulation to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Bitcoin – together with gold and different commodities – started rising sharply in worth at 10:30 Wednesday morning when the US treasury division introduced it could double its long-end bond buybacks to at the least $4 billion per operation, supporting market liquidity. That set off a brief squeeze in cryptocurrencies. Twenty-four hours later, bitcoin hovered round $71,500, a rise of about 10 p.c in worth.
“We need Congress to take the next step by passing the Clarity Act – a fair version of the Clarity Act,” Trump mentioned in opening remarks at a summit held Wednesday on the laws with cryptocurrency business leaders. “It’s a very, very powerful structured legislation which will keep us ahead of China, keep us ahead of everyone else, will open the door to the next wave of innovations and innovators.”
Thursday morning, the CFTC’s Innovation Advisory Committee held its inaugural assembly to debate the regulation of crypto property, synthetic intelligence, and prediction markets.
“America has long been the global hub of financial innovation,” mentioned Chairman Michael S. Selig. “I look forward to meeting with the entrepreneurs, thinkers, and builders of the CFTC’s Innovation Advisory Committee to discuss ways emerging technologies and financial products are shaping our markets as we embark upon the new frontier of finance.”
The agenda contains dialogue of agentic finance and using AI in derivatives markets, in addition to the regulation of prediction markets like Kalshi.
The CLARITY Act faces questions from the banking business, which doesn’t need crypto property to have the ability to provide curiosity funds, which is seen as undermining conventional banking deposits. Lawmakers additionally need higher protections in opposition to using cryptocurrency in cash laundering and to limit officers – together with Trump – from conflicts of curiosity within the crypto business.
James Braid departs White House forward of midterms
James Braid, the longest-serving legislative affairs director of Trump’s presidency, is leaving the White House forward of the midterms. Braid navigated the cupboard confirmations of controversial appointees like that of Pete Hegseth at protection and Robert Kennedy Jr. at well being and human providers. He additionally shepherded the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by way of a congress with historically-tight margins for Republicans, whereas beating again struggle powers resolutions.
Republican lawmakers are acknowledging his service as he exits.
“James Braid has served his country with distinction and led the White House’s Office of Legislative Affairs with extraordinary skill,” wrote Speaker Mike Johnson on X. “His great friendship, unwavering commitment, and tireless work ethic have helped House and Senate Republicans advance President Trump’s America First agenda in spite of our razor-thin majorities, and he has played an essential role in delivering historic results for the American people. We wish James, his wife Melissa, and their family all the best in their next chapter.”
Vice President JD Vance, for whom Braid labored as legislative director earlier than becoming a member of the White home, described him in a submit on X as “brilliant.”
“James Braid had one of the toughest jobs in the entire Administration as White House Legislative Director and delivered for President Trump at every turn,” Vance wrote. “He played a critical role in all of the administration’s achievements in Congress: largest tax cut ever, resources to carry out President Trump’s historic immigration agenda and finish the border wall, defeating two Democratic shutdowns, a landmark first crypto bill, the fastest confirmation of the cabinet in decades and much more.”
Trump cycled by way of 4 legislative administrators in his first time period. The function will shift sharply if Republicans lose management of both chamber within the midterm elections, with the White House having to work to avert authorities shutdowns over finances battles and congressional investigations into Trump’s operations.
His exit follows that of Pace McMullan, who labored beneath Braid in Senate outreach.
US unemployment claims dropped to 206,000 final week, with layoffs nonetheless sparse
The weekly Labor Department report for jobless claims dropped to 206,000 final week from a revised 212,000 the week earlier than, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Claims sometimes hover between 200,000 and 230,000. The weekly jobs report is seen as a proxy for layoff notices.
The U.S. unemployment charge of 4.1% stays close to historic lows, displaying resilience regardless of greater vitality costs attributable to the struggle with Iran. It additionally displays a shrinking labor market as immigration enforcement and Baby Boomer retirement scale back the variety of out there employees, AP reported.
Nonetheless, about 1.3 million individuals have dropped out of the labor market over the previous 12 months. Hiring in 2026 stays properly under the 166,000 month-to-month jobs created, on common, in 2023 and 2024, and the 491,000 a month recorded in the course of the 2021-2022 hiring growth that adopted pandemic lockdowns.
Natalie Harp labored at White House with out safety clearance for almost a 12 months – report
Natalie Harp, particular assistant to Donald Trump, continues to be the main target of media consideration Thursday after an MS Now report revealed that she had labored on the White House for almost a 12 months with out acquiring a safety clearance.
Harp, a former One America News Network present host, has emerged as a key gatekeeper to the president. Her presence with Trump when the president left Air Force One as a decoy whereas sneaking on to a different aircraft in a service cart – at the same time as senior officers remained behind – drew consideration.
Jon Ossoff, a Democratic senator from Georgia, amplified that focus with feedback at a rally Sunday in Atlanta. Speaking of Trump, Ossoff mentioned: “He golfs and trades stocks. See, he doesn’t want to do the job; he wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie to their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.”
A clip of his commentary went viral on social media, drawing assaults from the president’s defenders.
White House communications director Steven Cheung posted in reply on X: “Jon Jackoff has to be the biggest cuck loser in politics,” whereas White House spokesman Davis Ingle posted, “Jon Ossoff is a cringeworthy, feminine theatre kid cosplaying as Barack Obama. Nobody gives a shit what this lightweight loser says.”
Ossoff marveled on the response to his observations in an interview Wednesday with Laurence O’Donnell on MS Now. “It’s been amazing to watch this White House melt down over this all week,” Ossoff mentioned. “These White House staffers are adults, public officials paid by the taxpayer with immense power in positions of public trust. And whether it’s Natalie Harp printing out Donald Trump’s daily dose of delusion and flattery, or Peter Navarro steering taxpayer-funded loans to Trump family investments, or Pete Hegseth deluding the president daily into deepening this quagmire in the Middle East, no one cares about their feelings.”
The pile on continues: Rosie O’Donnell, a longstanding Trump antagonist filling in Wednesday evening for Jimmy Kimmel, picked on the subject.
“That’s all I’m going to say about you tonight, sweetheart,” O’Donnell mentioned of Trump. ”You bought to comprehend it’s time to hold up your wig and let Natalie tuck you in. Time to go nighty-night!”
Michele Tafoya: from unassuming NFL sideline reporter to rightwing firebrand
Andrew Lawrence
As the third leg of NBC’s Sunday Night Football crew alongside play-by-play man Al Michaels and the tart-tongued analyst Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya was a paragon of deference and neutrality for 11 years as an NFL sideline reporter, dutifully relating boilerplate ways, speaking factors and harm updates when she wasn’t nodding alongside to softball interviews or fumbling by way of hammy production gimmicks for viewers who might need been too offline to get the bit.
She was nearly pathologically dedicated to not doing something to attract consideration to herself or her gender in an period when sideline reporting was a quick observe to nationwide celeb. Even her soccer takes hewed to the center. (“New Orleans doesn’t want to lose to Atlanta twice in a season …”) Anyone who says they noticed the 61-year-old rising as a rightwing firebrand was watching a unique sport.
And but right here we’re. Last week, Tafoya was the decisive winner of Minnesota’s US Senate Republican primary, incomes the occasion’s nomination for November’s common election. Even extra putting: she beat again eight challengers, not least Adam Schwarze, the party-endorsed pro-gun, pro-military ex-Navy SEAL, and Royce White, the anti-leftist, anti-trans NBA flameout at the moment testing WNBA gender norms.
From McDonald’s to Congress: can a former fry cook dinner flip a key district for Democrats?
Michael Sainato
During his presidential marketing campaign in October 2024, Donald Trump staged a photograph op at a McDonald’s franchise in Pennsylvania, the place he was briefly taught work the fryer and drive-thru window on the closed restaurant, whereas making a number of unsubstantiated claims about Kamala Harris’s previous summer season job at McDonald’s.
The posturing round McDonald’s garnered important publicity, as Trump and Republicans capitalized on an affordability disaster triggered by excessive inflation that occurred globally because of the Covid pandemic.
Now, as Trump’s promises to “end inflation” and produce down costs have fallen flat, an actual former fry cook dinner is hoping affordability will assist him flip Colorado’s eighth congressional district, a swing district narrowly gained by the Republican Gabe Evans in 2024. The district is rated a toss-up by the Cook Partisan Index, and affordability is front and center in Democratic nominee Manny Rutinel’s congressional marketing campaign.
Iran overseas minister factors to US nationwide debt as Trump threatens ‘financial warfare’
Donald Trump on Wednesday posted that he intends to inflict on Iran “the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!”
“This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” the president mentioned.
On Thursday, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s minister of overseas affairs posted on X screenshots from varied information shops reporting that the US nationwide debt had reached $40tn for the first time in history.
“The so-called ‘Economic D-Day’ is a diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs,” Araghchi mentioned. “Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat — and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide.”
Democrats and Republicans outraged over $40tn nationwide debt
Hello and welcome to our live protection of US politics.
The US gross nationwide debt reached $40tn for the primary time on Wednesday, the very best in US historical past.
The authorities deficit doubled over the previous decade, with authorities spending rising beneath each Donald Trump and Joe Biden – Trump accepted $8.4tn price of debt throughout his first time period, with a big chunk going to Covid-19 aid spending, whereas Biden accepted $4.3tn price of debt.
In fiscal 12 months 2026, which started in October 2025, $1.8tn has been added to the debt up to now.
Both Democrats and Republicans responded to the milestone with outrage, with Democrats inserting the blame on Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress for the uptick in spending.
“The President said he’d pay off the debt in his first term. Well we all knew that was a lie. Instead he ran it up to $40 trillion while he and his family made billions,” Mark Kelly, a Democratic senator from Arizona, posted on X.
“Republicans ran up the tab, handed billionaires another tax break, and now wanna lecture working families about ‘fiscal responsibility’. You can’t max out the card AND pretend you’re the accountant. Pick a struggle,” Jasmine Crockett, a Democratic congresswoman from Texas, said.
“The Republican One Big Ugly Bill adds over $4 trillion alone—all to shamefully give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations,” Jason Crow, a Democratic congressman from Colorado, posted on X.
Crow is referring to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates will increase the deficit by $3.3tn. After Republican senator Rick Scott posted on X that “Congress needs to get spending under control”, netizens have been fast so as to add that he had voted to go this invoice.
Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who repeatedly clashed with Trump and his personal occasion in addition to along with his colleagues throughout the aisle, has lengthy worn on his swimsuit jacket a debt badge, a three-inch-long pin he created that updates the nationwide debt in actual time. “When I invented the debt badge, the national debt was just over $31 trillion,” he posted on X.
“$4,000 per year per American. That’s how much interest we are paying on the debt to banks & foreign countries every year. A family of four owes $16,000 per year for nothing but interest on the debt!” Massie mentioned. “I lost my re-election because I voted against the policies that caused this.” In May, the seven-term incumbent misplaced the House major to maintain his seat to Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy Seal and farmer who was recruited into the race by Trump.
Stay with us for extra response.