U.S. President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, U.S., May 25, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
President Donald Trump's close aide Natalie Harp may have competition when it comes to providing the Republican leader with comfort and humor during stressful times. While the so-called "human printer" has no other major job other than to cater to the president's wishes, however, the other person responsible for cheering up the president technically is responsible for administering the financing of housing in the United States — Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte.
"For many years, Donald Trump has enlisted various lackeys to soothe his rages and maintain what now passes for presidential equanimity," reported New York Magazine's Margaret Hartmann on Thursday. "In the past Trump has had a Diet Coke valet, a “gold guy,” and a “Music Man” who would drop by to play his favorite show tunes when he was cranky (this former White House official is now better known as embattled Ohio representative Max Miller)."
She added, "In Trump’s second term, the role has largely been filled by Natalie Harp. But with Republicans facing more and more bad news in the lead-up to the midterms, Trump needs even more MAGA memes and dubious polling reports to manage his sour moods. The “Human Printer” can’t do it all on her own. Luckily for Harp, she’s now getting some assistance. Bill Pulte, whose actual job is director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has joined her in feeding Trump delicious AI slop to counter his dark moods."
Hartmann went on to describe how "you can usually find Pulte hanging around the West Wing and traveling with the president. He has Trump’s ear and has fed him some of his dumbest ideas, like the 50-year mortgage proposal and turning the White House press briefing room into a swimming pool." Perhaps his most famous example was tied into Trump's ongoing campaign to put his name on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"You might have already seen some of Pulte’s handiwork," Hartmann wrote. "Last month, a photo of Pulte presenting Trump with a poster board with the title “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED” aboard Air Force One went viral."
Pulte also helped feed one of Trump's more unexpected fixations.
"The Times reported that Pulte also made Trump a poster of Jon Husted from his college football days, so the president could keep fantasizing about the senator’s (allegedly) captivating backside while flying on Air Force One," Hartmann wrote. "Trump showed it off on Truth Social."
The journalist made it clear that this does not mean Harp is out in the cold.
"To be clear, Pulte has not supplanted Harp," Hartmann wrote. "The Times reports that she’s now moved from her usual desk outside the Oval Office to a spot even closer to the president."
Pulte is a controversial figure in general in the White House.
“He comes up with the weirdest ideas and is just always there to pitch them to the president. I don’t know why, but sometimes he listens,” a Trump adviser recently told NBC News. A separate anonymous source said, “The president loves him, even if no one else does."