Donald Trump 'Brought Young Blonde Aide Natalie Harp With Him' During Secret Plane Swap Amid Iranian Assassination Threat
President Donald Trump reportedly kept Natalie Harp close during a security crisis.
Aug. 12 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump wasn't alone when he swapped out his planes in Turkey for an elaborate getaway scheme, RadarOnline.com has learned.
After receiving intel about a potential assassination attempt, Trump's security team reportedly swept him away in a catering truck. He boarded a different plane than a "decoy" Air Force One, which contained some staffers and members of the press. Among those who traveled with Trump was the "human printer," Natalie Harp.
Donald Trump Brings Natalie Harp in Getaway Jet
Trump swapped planes before take off amid an assassination scare.
While leaving the NATO summit, Trump seemingly boarded the old Air Force One, telling social media it was for "old times' sake," despite using a Qatari-gifted jet in recent months. However, before the plane took off, the president was transferred to a different jet.
The press and staffers onboard the "decoy" plane were none the wiser, believing Trump was with them, as the politician had televised his boarding process.
A new report from The Washington Post claimed Trump selected a few members of his inner circle to travel on the getaway plane with him. In addition to young blonde aide Harp, sources claimed White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta were on board. Plus, a handful of additional aides were at the president's side.
Trump Abandons Top Officials
Not all of the top administration members left in Trump's jet, as Marco Rubio was left behind.
Some of Trump's closest aides were reportedly with him – but top officials at the highest level of the government and some military personnel were absent, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined Trump on his getaway plane, seemingly making him the highest-ranking member of the president's administration to make the cut, according to a source. It's currently unknown if the other top officials were made aware that they were on a targeted, "decoy" plane or if they were briefed.
While it's unclear which officials left on the old Air Force One, those who flew to Turkey with the president included Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Communications Director Steven Cheung, deputy national security adviser Michael Needham, and staff secretary Will Scharf.
Trump Loyalists Given Priority
Concerns about Harp's closeness to the president continue to bubble up.
The aides on board Trump's plane previously notably stood by Trump's side while he was not in the Oval Office, despite many other politicians and prior allies distancing themselves from the MAGA movement leader.
At the time, he was operating out of Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Harp, particularly, has been close to Trump in recent years. Her proximity to the president hasn't gone unnoticed, as even the Secret Service reportedly flagged concern. Notably, Harp reportedly left Trump a letter, stating, “You are all that matters to me."
Trump Defends Leaving Journalists in the Dark
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Journalists weren't aware there was a target on the jet.
The journalists on the plane were reportedly not alerted to the security risks. Instead, they were told to simply close their window visors.
When journalists asked about their need to keep the windows closed during the flight, Trump later claimed it was "because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with."
"The plane that I was on was at greater risk,” Trump claimed following the recent report. "Because that would be the plane that I think that they would be more likely to go for."
He claimed the decision to swap planes was made by his security detail. "They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane, equal safety. … I do what they say," he said earlier this week.
