Bill Maher Holds Back on Trump Crony Natalie Harp Amidst Legal Threats
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Bill Maher refrained from delving into the controversy around Trump loyalist Natalie Harp, citing a previous lawsuit from a far-right agitator.
Bill Maher announced he would not address the recent scrutiny of Natalie Harp, a senior aide to the reactionary President Donald Trump, during Friday's episode of Real Time With Bill Maher. Maher attributed his silence to a costly defamation lawsuit brought against him two years ago by notorious far-right activist Laura Loomer, which was ultimately thrown out by a federal judge.
Harp, who previously spread misinformation as a host on the ultra-conservative One America News, is described in media reports as a 'human printer' for Trump, performing menial tasks like fetching MAGA merchandise, scouring the internet for favorable coverage, and churning out propaganda on social media. Despite these trivial duties, she receives a staggering $150,000 annual salary, paid by taxpayers through federal funds.
In his monologue, Maher referenced Senator Jon Ossoff's campaign rally comments about Harp, noting her almost fanatical devotion to her role in the Trump machine. Maher then declined to further discuss Harp, pointing to the burdensome costs and intimidation tactics of legal battles waged by the far-right to silence critics.
Loomer's frivolous lawsuit stemmed from a 2024 joke by Maher suggesting she was involved in an affair with Trump; the court recognized the comment as satire and dismissed the case. Maher's brief mention of the lawsuit was quickly weaponized by conservative social-media outlets, eager to stifle dissent and shield Trump’s inner circle from scrutiny.