A newly appointed White House press aide is facing scrutiny after a 2021 photograph resurfaced showing her posing with a rifle while wearing a T-shirt carrying an anti-Joe Biden slogan. Beni Rae Harmony, 24, recently joined US President Donald Trump’s administration as an assistant White House press secretary after working as a White House correspondent for the right-wing media network Real America’s Voice. The resurfaced photograph has renewed questions about her political activism and the distinction between partisan advocacy and journalism within the White House communications operation.
The photograph was reportedly posted on Instagram in November 2021 and shows Harmony standing beside a man in front of Christmas decorations, with both holding rifles and wearing shirts featuring the slogan directed at Biden. The image was originally shared by Jarome Bell, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2022 and had identified Harmony as his campaign public affairs director. It later resurfaced online in December 2021 through an account critical of the MAGA movement, which identified Harmony as an aide to Republican Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona. Harmony did not deny being the person in the photograph and subsequently appeared to confirm its authenticity by sharing another photograph of herself wearing the same shirt at the same location.
The photograph was taken during Biden’s presidency, when the anti-Biden phrase had become a prominent slogan among supporters of Trump and was frequently seen at political rallies and other public events. Harmony’s background has also drawn attention following her appointment to the White House. Before joining the administration, she worked as a producer for Turning Point USA host Jack Posobiec and held press-related roles involving crisis management for Gosar and former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. She had been working as a White House correspondent for Real America’s Voice since September 2025 before moving into the administration.
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Despite the resurfaced photograph and questions about Harmony’s political background, the White House has defended her appointment. Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly described Harmony as a trusted voice of the MAGA movement and said she would be an outstanding addition to Trump’s communications team. Harmony herself has not publicly commented on the photograph since it resurfaced following her appointment. The administration’s defence indicates that her previous political alignment is being viewed as an asset rather than a disqualification for the communications role she has now taken up.
Her appointment has also brought renewed attention to the changing relationship between political media and the White House press operation under Trump. The administration has increasingly provided greater visibility to correspondents from partisan or supportive media organisations, while relations with several mainstream outlets have become more contentious. Trump has previously sought to exclude organisations including CNN, Politico and MS Now from parts of the White House press operation over what he considers negative coverage. His aides have also played a more active role in determining which news organisations receive opportunities to question the president.
The controversy surrounding Harmony therefore extends beyond the photograph itself and has become part of a broader debate over the role of journalists and political advocates within the White House communications structure. Her career has included positions on both the political and media sides of the American right, and her move from partisan media into an official administration role has highlighted concerns about the boundaries between reporting, advocacy and government communications. The White House, however, has made clear that it continues to support her appointment, with officials portraying her political background and support for Trump as qualifications for her new position.
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