USA02 October, 20262 min read
Donald Trump Hires Beni Rae Harmony After 2021 Rifle Photo With “Fuck Joe Biden” Shirt
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Appointed as deputy White House press secretary under Trump. Past photo shows Harmony with a rifle and an anti-Biden shirt.
Harmony joins Trump team
Donald Trump brought 24-year-old Beni Rae Harmony into the White House as deputy press secretary, and the White House described her as a "trusted voice of the MAGA movement." Anna Kelly said Harmony would be "an exceptional addition" to Donald Trump’s communications team as Deputy Press Secretary. The controversy centered on a 2021 photograph showing Harmony with a rifle and a T-shirt reading "Fuck Joe Biden," which resurfaced after her hiring.
“The White House defends the appointment of 24-year-old Beni Rae Harmony as deputy press secretary.”
Harmony had worked as a correspondent for the Trump-aligned Real America’s Voice, and she had previously worked for Turning Point USA founded by Charlie Kirk. Harmony starts on Monday after Trump took a liking to her and added her to his comms crew.
Rifle shirt fuels backlash
Social media users circulated a 2021 image of Harmony wearing a shirt with the slogan “Screw Joe Biden” while holding a rifle next to an elderly man, whom another post identified as her uncle. Anna Kelly defended the hire, saying Harmony had been a trusted voice of the MAGA movement as White House correspondent. Harmony later indirectly affirmed the photo's authenticity on social media but did not comment on current media inquiries.
The New Republic described a separate dispute involving right-wing commentator Benny Johnson, who branded brutalized ICE protesters as “left-wing terrorists” and is being sued for defamation. Harvard University data scientist Kyle Frankovich and contracted court reporter Maureen Foody filed a joint lawsuit against Johnson claiming he “did not care.”
Media access and legal fights
The White House defended Harmony’s hiring while Trump’s administration restricted access to CNN, MSNBC, and Politico to the White House, and TMZ said Trump had been banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The government has recently restricted access to CNN, MSNBC, and Politico to the White House, and has partly denied them access. Real America's Voice took CNN's spot on Air Force One for Trump's trip to Tennessee last weekend for a college football game.
Frankovich told MS NOW he was “shaken” when he saw Johnson’s posts and followers’ comments that attempted to dox his identity. Anna Kelly quoted Harmony saying Harmony "will be an outstanding addition to President Trump’s communications team as an Assistant Press Secretary."