The White House has issued a defense of Beni Rae Harmony, a 24-year-old newly appointed assistant White House press secretary, following the emergence of a 2021 photograph showing her posing in anti-Biden apparel while holding a rifle. The image, which reportedly featured matching offensive-message shirts worn by Harmony and an older man identified as her uncle, was originally posted to Instagram in November 2021 by a far-right Republican House candidate and later circulated on social media platforms.
Harmony’s background includes roles at various rightwing media and political organizations. According to her LinkedIn profile, she previously worked as a producer for Turning Point USA host Jack Posobiec and served as a press aide for Arizona congressman Paul Gosar and former congressman Matt Gaetz. Most recently, she worked as a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a partisan outlet associated with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, before transitioning to her White House role.
When the photograph resurfaced in late 2021, Harmony responded by sharing an additional image of herself in the same shirt at the same location. She verified the photograph’s authenticity through her social media interactions during that period. The White House press office did not request comment directly from Harmony but instead released a statement from deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, who characterized the new hire as having been a trusted voice for Trump’s movement in her previous journalistic capacity.
Harmony’s hiring occurs within a broader context of White House press office practices. Administration officials have undertaken measures to populate press briefings primarily with correspondents from outlets favorable to the president, while restricting access for reporters from nonpartisan news organizations. The president has publicly advocated for banning several major news outlets from White House access, citing concerns about coverage he characterizes as negative.
During a recent Air Force One press availability, Associated Press photographs appeared to show the president holding a document with Harmony’s name visible at the top, raising questions about the selection process for questions posed during presidential availability.
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