Ossoff: ‘Amazing to watch this White House melt down’ over Harp remark

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) doubled down Wednesday on his criticism of President Trump’s relationship with longtime White House aide Natalie Harp, brushing off a wave of attacks from the president’s inner circle over his remarks.

Ossoff, who is seeking reelection in Georgia against Trump-backed Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), came under fire by the White House during a campaign rally last weekend, where he brought up Harp in his critique of Trump.

“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,” Ossoff said, referring to the new Air Force One jet and pricey White House ballroom project .

Multiple people close to the president and Harp, who serves as his executive assistant, came to their defense, including the president’s son Eric Trump. The younger Trump called Ossoff’s comments “ absolute trash ” while White House communications director Steven Cheung launched vulgar attacks against the Georgia Democrat.

“It’s been amazing to watch this White House melt down over this all week,” Ossoff responded to the backlash during an interview with MS NOW.

He further waved off the scrutiny on Wednesday, saying Harp and other White House officials hold powerful government positions and should therefore be permissible targets of political criticism.

“These White House staffers are adults, public officials paid by the taxpayer with immense power in positions of public trust,” Ossoff told MS NOW’s Lawrence O’Donnell.

The senator also accused the aide of “printing out Donald Trump’s daily dose of delusion and flattery” and lambasted comments made by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“No one cares about their feelings,” Ossoff said.

Harp has drawn increased attention in recent days over her close relationship with the president. The New York Times reported that Harp frequently accompanies President Trump on his golf trips and to his Mar-a-Lago resort, helps draft his posts on social media and carries a portable printer to provide him information in hard copy.

Her estranged brother, Preston Harp, described her devotion to Trump as an “unhealthy obsession” in an interview with CNN.

Eric Trump, in response, maintained that Harp is “an incredible young woman” and “arguably one of the hardest-working people in the White House.”