The Independent reported Wednesday that a woman answered calls to a number journalists associate with President Donald Trump’s personal phone, raising questions about access to him during the midterm returns.
Several journalists told the outlet that calls in the preceding 48 hours were answered by a woman who asked callers to identify themselves. The Independent also reported a similar interaction Tuesday night.
Politico’s election-night live stream captured reporter Dasha Burns calling Trump on Tuesday and a woman asking who was calling, according to The Independent. The outlet said the voice appeared to match Natalie Harp, Trump’s executive assistant, in a recording of Harp’s speech to the 2020 Republican National Convention.
A longtime White House correspondent told The Independent that Trump overheard him identify himself and then told the woman to connect the call.
The Independent said the White House had previously pointed to reporters’ ability to reach Trump directly by phone when describing his availability for brief interviews. EconoTimes previously reported Trump’s criticism of a Reuters reporter after a question about a Kansas campaign stop.
