The White House has officially weighed in on their latest hire, Beni Rae Harmony, and the vibes are definitely causing a stir. Harmony, 24, was recently named an assistant White House press secretary, but internet sleuths didn't waste time pulling up a 2021 photo of her posing with a rifle while wearing a shirt that says "Fuck Joe Biden."
The backstory
Before landing this gig, Harmony was a White House correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a partisan outlet with roots tied to Steve Bannon. Her resume is deep in far-right circles, including stints as a producer for Jack Posobiec and working on crisis management for Paul Gosar and Matt Gaetz. When the photo of her and a family member holding firearms in front of holiday decor went viral, she didn't shy away from it—she actually doubled down on social media.
What the White House says
Despite the controversy, the administration isn't backing down. Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly called Harmony a "trusted voice for the MAGA movement" and said she’ll be an "outstanding addition" to the team. This move fits the current White House strategy of prioritizing correspondents from partisan outlets who are friendly to the president, often at the expense of traditional press access.
The résumé leak?
The plot thickens: Harmony recently asked Trump a series of softball questions on Air Force One that seemed scripted to help him hit political talking points. Interestingly, photos from the event show Trump holding a paper with her name at the top—leading many to believe he was literally holding her resume while taking her questions.
Why it matters
This hire signals a shift toward a more curated, pro-Trump press environment, essentially blurring the line between journalism and political advocacy. For you, it means the news you see coming out of the White House is increasingly coming from voices that are lowkey working for the administration they’re supposed to be covering.
