Natalie Harp, 35, is a prominent confidante of US President Donald Trump. She grew up in San Diego, homeschooled by her mother, Jill Harp, alongside her brother, Preston Harp, 38.

Their father, Bob Harp, was a renowned professor at the Crowell School of Business at Biola University, a private Evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California.

Preston Harp and his younger sister Natalie Harp as children. *Photo: Daily Beast*

Despite a conservative Christian upbringing, Preston joined a debate club in San Diego at 15. There, he encountered leftist ideas and the darker aspects of US history, topics his mother omitted during his homeschooling.

Preston believes this marked the first crack in his relationship with his sister and mother. He abandoned traditional Christianity, rejected a conventional career path, and pursued music. In contrast, Natalie never rebelled against her mother's sheltered education.

"I had friends to confide in," he said. "My sister had no peers."

In 2015, Natalie was diagnosed with stage two bone cancer. Four years later, she posted on LinkedIn, praising Trump's healthcare policies and calling herself "living proof" of their success. The post led to an interview on Fox & Friends, praise from Trump, and an invitation to speak alongside him on stage in 2019.

When the pandemic struck, Preston felt his family was torn apart. His father was not a Trump supporter and found his wife and daughter's enthusiastic backing difficult.

Preston stated that Covid lockdowns severely impacted his father's mental health. Bob was an extrovert, and Preston observed the lack of connection affected him. The last time Preston saw his father was in July 2020, noting that he "looked unwell."

On 17/7/2020, Preston received a call from his sister, urging him to come home urgently. Upon arrival, he saw police cars outside. His fears were confirmed: Bob had died by suicide.

However, Natalie and her mother wanted to keep the cause of Bob's death private. They told outsiders he passed away in his sleep. Preston refused, stating he would only tell the truth: his father "died by suicide by hanging himself in the garage."

The obituary did not specify Bob's cause of death. The lack of information forced family and friends to choose between two conflicting narratives. Some accused Preston of lying.

This intense dispute marked the moment the family broke apart. He and his sister have not spoken since.

After her father's death, Natalie became even more devoted to President Trump. She wrote him a thank-you letter for his support during her father's passing, calling him her "guardian and protector in this life."

For Preston, his political ideology shifted more rapidly after August 2020, when he saw his sister speak at the Republican National Convention.

His father had strictly adhered to the most stringent lockdown measures to protect Natalie from Covid after her chemotherapy for bone cancer in 2018. Yet, she appeared at the convention, condemning the leftism Preston embraced, and without a mask, only one month after their father's death.

Harp and President Trump at a ceremony for fallen US service members from the Middle East at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 22/7. *Photo: AFP*

Natalie Harp at the White House on 3/2. *Photo: AFP*

Natalie Harp speaking at the 2020 Republican National Convention. *Photo: Daily Beast*

Trump welcomed Natalie Harp and invited her to speak at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington in June 2019. *Photo: AP*

Preston was deeply disappointed by his sister's loyalty to Trump. He believes Natalie found a new father figure in Trump, while he views the US as a "villain" and found a "new family" with shared views in Nicaragua.

"I feel like I've reopened my heart after two years of grieving my father's death," Preston wrote after moving to Nicaragua in 2023.

In September 2025, Preston suffered a fractured skull, broken collarbone, and two ribs in a motorcycle accident. Nicaragua's socialized healthcare system saved Preston's life, providing free rehabilitation services.

"What would have happened if I were in the US?" said Preston, who had no insurance. "I would be buried in debt for life."

Hong Hanh (According to Washington Post, AOL)