White House defends new aide over anti-Biden photo

Published: 05 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The White House has defended the appointment of a new assistant press secretary after a photograph emerged showing her posing with a rifle while wearing a T-shirt carrying an explicit anti-Joe Biden slogan. The image has drawn renewed attention to the political background of Beni Rae Harmony, a 24-year-old media figure who has recently moved from conservative broadcasting into President Donald Trump’s communications team.

Harmony announced last week that she would join the White House after working as a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a conservative media outlet. Her appointment has prompted discussion about the increasingly close relationship between partisan media and the Trump administration, particularly as the White House continues to reshape its approach to press access and presidential communications.

The photograph at the centre of the controversy dates from 2021, when Biden was president. It shows Harmony alongside an older man, both holding rifles and wearing matching shirts containing an offensive slogan directed at Biden. The photograph was reportedly taken in front of Christmas decorations and was originally associated with the campaign of Jarome Bell, a Republican congressional candidate who unsuccessfully sought a seat in Congress in 2022.

A screenshot of the original social media post reportedly described Harmony as a campaign public affairs director and praised her in highly supportive language. The image subsequently circulated more widely on social media, where users identified Harmony as a political aide connected to Republican Congressman Paul Gosar.

Harmony appeared to acknowledge the authenticity of the photograph at the time. After the image was circulated by an anti-Trump social media account, she reportedly responded by posting another photograph of herself wearing the same shirt and standing in what appeared to be the same location. When questioned about the identity of the older man pictured with her, she described him as her uncle.

The photograph emerged from a highly charged period in American politics. In 2021, hostility towards Biden was a central feature of many pro-Trump political rallies and conservative media campaigns. An anti-Biden slogan that became popular among Trump supporters that year spread widely through political events and social media.

The resurfacing of the photograph now comes as Harmony takes a formal role inside the White House, making her previous political activities more relevant to questions about her new responsibilities as a government communications official.

The White House has not treated the photograph as a reason to reconsider the appointment. Instead, deputy press secretary Anna Kelly publicly praised Harmony and highlighted her support for the Make America Great Again movement.

Kelly described Harmony as a trusted voice for the MAGA movement while working as a White House correspondent and said she would be a strong addition to Trump’s communications operation. The statement effectively presented Harmony’s previous political alignment as an asset rather than a liability.

Harmony’s career has been closely connected to conservative and pro-Trump political circles. Before joining the White House press team, she worked for conservative political figures and media personalities. Her professional history includes work as a producer for Turning Point USA host Jack Posobiec and communications roles for Gosar and former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.

Her connection to Gosar became particularly visible in 2021, when the Arizona congressman was formally censured by the House of Representatives after posting an animated video depicting violence against Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and then-President Biden. Harmony publicly defended Gosar at the time, recording a statement for his online audience in which she expressed anger over the congressional response.

Her subsequent transition into conservative media further strengthened her profile among Trump supporters. She later became a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, where she covered Trump and other Republican figures from a strongly conservative perspective.

Harmony’s move into the White House marks a further shift from political media into direct government communications. The appointment has raised broader questions about the distinction between journalism and political advocacy, particularly when reporters who have openly supported a political movement move into senior communications positions.

The issue is especially sensitive because the Trump administration has significantly altered the traditional relationship between the White House and the press corps. The administration has increasingly relied on friendly conservative and partisan media outlets while restricting access for some organisations that it considers hostile or excessively critical.

Trump has previously sought to exclude major news organisations from White House access, arguing that their coverage is unfair to his administration. His aides have also exercised greater control over which reporters are positioned to ask questions during presidential appearances.

Supporters of the administration argue that these changes give conservative media organisations greater access after years in which they believed traditional news organisations dominated the White House press environment. Critics, however, argue that restricting access and favouring openly supportive outlets can weaken independent scrutiny of presidential decisions.

Harmony’s appointment has therefore become part of a much larger debate about the role of political loyalty in government communications. Her supporters view her background as evidence that she understands the concerns of Trump’s political base. Critics are likely to see the same history as evidence that the administration is favouring political allies over conventional journalistic independence.

Her rise within conservative media accelerated in recent years. She gained particular attention in 2025 after delivering an emotional on-air tribute to Charlie Kirk, describing the conservative activist as an important mentor and her first professional boss.

Harmony had previously worked at a television station in Springfield, Illinois, although the station later clarified the nature of her role. Its news director disputed claims that she had been suspended over the tribute and said Harmony had not been a member of the station’s traditional news team. Instead, she hosted a programme operated through the station’s sales department, which featured paying clients.

Her transition to Real America’s Voice nevertheless gave her a higher profile among conservative audiences. She became a regular presence in coverage involving Trump and his political movement and eventually secured access to presidential events.

During a press availability aboard Air Force One in September, Harmony asked Trump a series of questions that appeared favourable to the president and gave him opportunities to discuss his political positions. Photographs from the exchange reportedly showed documents in Trump’s hand with Harmony’s name visible at the top, prompting speculation that the president may have been holding her résumé.

The White House has not publicly suggested that the photograph or Harmony’s previous political activities disqualify her from serving as an assistant press secretary. Instead, the administration appears to view her experience within the conservative media ecosystem as useful for communicating with Trump’s supporters.

Her appointment also illustrates how the boundaries between political media, campaign advocacy and government communications have become increasingly fluid in the current American political environment.

The controversy surrounding the 2021 photograph is unlikely to be resolved simply by determining whether the image is authentic. The larger question concerns what standards should apply to officials whose responsibilities include representing the White House to the public and the news media.

The administration’s response suggests that political alignment with Trump and the MAGA movement is not necessarily viewed as a weakness for members of the communications team. Indeed, the White House has explicitly highlighted Harmony’s role as a supportive conservative media voice as part of its justification for welcoming her into the administration.

For Harmony, the appointment represents a significant career progression from conservative media into one of the most politically visible communications operations in the United States. Her background, public statements and previous political work are likely to remain under scrutiny as she begins her new role.

The episode also reflects the broader transformation of political communications in Washington. Traditional distinctions between reporters, commentators, campaign activists and government spokespersons have become increasingly blurred, particularly within highly polarised political movements.

As Harmony takes up her position, the White House will face continued questions about how it manages media access and whether political loyalty is becoming an increasingly important factor in determining who receives prominent roles within its communications operation.

The controversy over the photograph is therefore about more than an old image. It has become a window into the changing relationship between the Trump administration, conservative media and the White House press corps, while highlighting the increasingly political nature of the modern presidential communications environment.