President Donald Trump’s latest China visit has sparked attention not only for its political significance, but also for the people traveling alongside him. While First Lady Melania Trump stayed back in the United States, three women from Trump’s inner communications circle quietly became part of the high-profile delegation heading to Beijing.
Trump flew to Beijing with three female aides
The visit marks the first time a sitting US president has met with China’s leader since Trump’s previous trip to Beijing in 2017. Alongside cabinet officials and business leaders, these three women have emerged as some of the most talked-about members of the delegation.
Donald Trump landed in China on Wednesday for what has been described as a major diplomatic visit centered around trade and political negotiations with Xi Jinping. The president is expected to push for increased Chinese purchases of American products, including food and aircraft, during the meetings, as per a report by The Mirror.
But alongside the expected names, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Tesla chief Elon Musk—three lesser-known women also drew attention.
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Who are the three women traveling with Trump?
Anna Kelly, Natalie Harp, and Margo Martin have each built influential roles within Trump’s communications and media operation, as per a report by The Mirror.
Anna Kelly currently serves as deputy White House press secretary. The 29-year-old Virginia native has spent years working in Republican political communications before joining Trump’s team.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Kelly previously worked as communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, handled media operations for Tim Michels during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, and also served Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
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She additionally worked as national press secretary for the Republican National Convention.
Kelly once revealed during an appearance on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show that she was “having so much fun” working inside the White House.
"It's extremely exciting to be part of the process and really helping correct all the mistakes over the past four years," Kelly said.
Though some expected her to temporarily step into Karoline Leavitt’s duties during maternity leave, other Trump administration figures instead filled that role.
Why is Natalie Harp called Trump’s ‘human printer’?
Natalie Harp has become one of the most recognizable behind-the-scenes figures in Trump’s orbit. The 35-year-old executive assistant reportedly earned the nickname “human printer” because she regularly carries a wireless printer to provide Trump with freshly printed news articles wherever he travels, as per a report by The Mirror.
The detail was highlighted by journalist Alex Isenstadt in his book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power.
Harp, who survived bone cancer and previously worked in television, first publicly backed Trump during the 2020 Republican National Convention before joining his communications operation in 2022.
According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Harp also plays a major role in organizing Trump’s Truth Social activity. Insiders claimed she prepares batches of drafted social media posts for Trump to review before publishing them after approval.
The report linked this process to several controversial posts that were later removed, including imagery involving Barack and Michelle Obama as well as an AI-generated image portraying Trump as Jesus Christ.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the president’s social media style, saying: "Truth Social has never been hotter, and it's because President Trump offers his unfiltered and direct thoughts to the American people, without the biased media taking him out of context."
How did Margo Martin become one of Trump’s closest aides?
Margo Martin has quietly become one of Trump’s most trusted communications advisers. The 30-year-old special assistant frequently documents behind-the-scenes moments with the president using her iPhone, many of which later explode across social media platforms as viral political clips and memes.
According to The Washington Post, Martin’s footage from Trump’s recent Asia trip generated nearly 50 million views on her personal X account and another 222 million views through the @TeamTrump Instagram account.
Martin originally worked as a press assistant during Trump’s first administration and stayed with his team after he left office in 2021. She even relocated to Palm Beach, Florida, to continue helping manage his media and social presence.
Trump once referred to her as “the most beautiful photographer in the world.”
One of Martin’s recordings from Trump’s book interviews later became part of special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents investigation, eventually leading to her being subpoenaed before a federal grand jury.
Karoline Leavitt later praised Martin’s role within the administration, saying: "She has the trust of the president," while adding that "she's able to really see the inner workings of his every day and share that with the American public."
Following two days of talks with President Xi Jinping, during which both sides praised each other and highlighted advancements in stabilizing what they agreed is the most significant relationship in the world, President Donald Trump has left China.
FAQs
Why didn’t Melania Trump join the China trip?
The provided information only states that she remained in the US during the visit.
Who are the three female aides with Trump?
Anna Kelly, Natalie Harp, and Margo Martin traveled with the president to China.
