Who Is Beni Rae Harmony? New Gen Z Assistant White House Press Secretary - Newsweek

The White House has praised their new Gen Z communications hire as a "trusted voice for the MAGA movement" as Beni Rae Harmony, a 24-year-old former journalist, is set to join the team as an assistant press secretary.

The president has not yet found a replacement for press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August, but his latest move in the communications team has sparked debate as more information was revealed about the new hire.

Harmony captured attention this weekend as a holiday photograph of her in 2021 wearing a “F*** Joe Biden” T-shirt and holding a rifle was shared across social media.

In a statement on X on Sunday, Harmony announced she was joining the White House. "I’m looking forward to this next chapter - serving the American people and continuing to fight for the American Dream. America First," she wrote.

Anna Kelly, Principal Deputy Press Secretary at the White House, told Newsweek: “Beni Rae Harmony has been a trusted voice for the MAGA movement as a White House correspondent. 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."

Harmony revealed on Friday that she would join the White House press team, moving from working as a senior correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a media outlet originally created as a video podcast platform for the president’s former adviser Steve Bannon.

According to her LinkedIn, Harmony previously worked as a press aide for Turning Point USA host Jack Posobiec, and as a deputy press secretary for Republican Congressmen Paul Gosar and Matt Gaetz.

Before being hired by the White House, Harmony had followed the president on various trips, covering his movements for Real America’s Voice. She was recently part of the White House press corps covering the president's trip to Ireland, where Trump was pictured on the return trip on Air Force One holding a piece of paper that appeared to have the name “Beni Rae Harmony” at the top.

With more than 77,000 followers on Instagram, Harmony has frequently shared her work traveling alongside and reporting on the president.

Harmony's appointment comes during a tense time between Trump and the press.

In September, the president banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, a decision a federal judge temporarily blocked.

Meanwhile, Trump’s relationship with female journalists continues to be a point of contention as high-profile clashes with female members of ABC, CNN, Fox News, NBC and more have been reported since the start of the president’s second term.

Shortly after Harmony announced her White House appointment, social media users resurfaced several posts and photographs from her past.

Chief among them was a photograph of Harmony posing with an older relative during the Christmas holiday, wearing a T-shirt that read “F*** Joe Biden.”

The picture was shared on Instagram in 2021 by former Republican House candidate Jarome Bell. The caption read: “My campaign Public Affairs Director @beniraeharmony is a beast. This is how we roll.”

Harmony appeared to confirm the authenticity of the picture, sharing another picture of herself wearing the T-shirt in 2021. She also responded to a comment on X that asked, “Daughter or date?” to which she replied “uncle.”

In 2025, Harmony gained attention in right-wing circles when she delivered a tearful tribute to Charlie Kirk, whom she called “a mentor, my first boss, the first person who made me believe in myself and that encouraged me to chase this dream.”

Then an anchor on WICS NewsChannel 20 in Springfield, Illinois, Harmony later claimed that she was suspended for the tribute. The station's news director, Heather Nodine, later denied that Harmony was suspended over the tribute, adding that she was not employed as a journalist and never worked within the station’s news department.

Newsweek reached out to Harmony via X for comment, and the White House via email.

Update 10/05/26 10:15 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from the White House.