Trump hires former Real America's Voice reporter Beni Rae Harmony as assistant press secretary
Quick Look
- President Donald Trump has appointed Beni Rae Harmony, a 24-year-old former Real America's Voice reporter, as assistant press secretary.
- Harmony previously posed for a photo with a rifle while wearing an anti-Biden T-shirt, worked for far-right media, interned for Republican lawmakers, and paid tribute to slain influencer Charlie Kirk after his 2025 assassination.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Beni Rae Harmony was appointed as assistant press secretary in the Trump administration after working as a correspondent for Real America's Voice, a far-right media outlet. She has ties to conservative figures including Charlie Kirk, Steve Bannon, and Ted Nugent, and previously interned for Republican congressmen Paul Gosar and Matt Gaetz.
President Donald Trump’s new assistant press secretary — a former reporter for Real America's Voice — once posed for a photo with a rifle while wearing a "f*** Joe Biden" T-shirt and was a fan of slain conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
Beni Rae Harmony, 24, announced on Friday that she will join Trump's White House press team as the new assistant press secretary. Anti-MAGA accounts on Instagram quickly found the photo of Harmony in her anti-Biden shirt, according to The Daily Beast.
The photo was posted by former Republican Virginia congressional candidate Jarome Bell in 2021. The post includes the caption "My campaign Public Affairs Director @beniraeharmony is a beast. This is how we roll."
Harmony's Instagram account liked the post. Bell ran for Congress in 2022 in Virginia Beach.
Harmony will join the White House's communications team following a staff shakeup that included the departure of former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in August.
"It's been an honor to report, travel, and cover this historic administration as Senior White House Correspondent for Real America's Voice. My goal has always been to ask questions that matter to real Americans and make sure their voices are heard," Harmony wrote in a post announcing her hiring. "I'm incredibly grateful to President Trump for this opportunity and his trust."
Harmony formerly worked for the far-right broadcaster Real America's Voice, which always airs Steve Bannon's weekday show, The Charlie Kirk Show, and Ted Nugent's Spirit Campfire.
She said she joined the broadcaster after she was suspended from her previous place of employment, WICS-ABC20 in Springfield, Illinois, allegedly for sharing an unprompted on-air tribute to Kirk following his 2025 assassination.
Harmony defended her decision to air the memorial, calling it "non-partisan."
She previously worked at Kirk's Turning Point USA conservative youth organization in 2020 and 2021. Harmony said she considered Kirk a "mentor."
Her LinkedIn profile says she also interned for Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar and former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Harmony may have caught Trump's eye during a trip to Ireland last month, where she was present as a reporter on Air Force One.
Anna Kelly, the White House principal deputy press secretary, confirmed Harmony's new role in a statement.
"Beni Rae Harmony has been a trusted voice for the MAGA movement as a White House correspondent," Kelly said. "She will be an outstanding addition to President Trump’s communications team as an assistant press secretary. We look forward to having her on board."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Harmony will face increased media scrutiny over her past social media posts and associations
Very likely · Within weeks
The White House will issue a defense of Harmony's hiring emphasizing her loyalty to the MAGA movement
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What specific duties will Harmony have as assistant press secretary?
- How will her past social media activity affect her role in the White House?
- Will the Trump administration address concerns about her associations with extremist-adjacent figures?
- What led to her suspension from WICS-ABC20?
