An online journalist known for tracking President Donald Trump’s activities recently faced backlash after criticizing a young female Trump staffer. The journalist, Aaron Rupar, posted a video on his social media account showing Ellie Acra, a White House press wrangler, directing media personnel away from Trump as he prepared to board the plane in Ireland. Rupar’s comments on the clip focused on Acra’s actions, describing her as ‘literally shoving photographers away.’
White House press wranglers play a crucial role in handling the media during the president’s public appearances. Their job includes guiding reporters to and from designated locations, essential for keeping the president on schedule. Both Republican and Democrat administrations rely on these staffers.
Following Rupar’s post, the White House’s official response criticized him, calling his remarks inappropriate. The response condemned Rupar’s behavior and highlighted that he frequently comments on women doing their jobs.
Rupar replied by accusing the White House of inciting harassment against him. He mentioned receiving threatening messages and suggested the White House’s comments were deliberately provoking such a response.
This is not the first time Rupar has been in conflict with the White House. He has repeatedly made claims about another Trump aide, Natalie Harp, suggesting without evidence that she and Trump are involved in an inappropriate relationship. Rupar’s posts have included photos of Harp and hashtags tracking her travels with the president.
“President Trump does, in fact, travel with staff,” the White House stated. They defended the presence of aides like Harp during official trips.
In a related incident, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff recently made remarks linking Harp and Trump, which have been criticized as unfounded gossip. These comments have become a point of contention in his political campaign.
Peter D’Abrosca, a politics reporter at Fox News Digital, sought comments from both Rupar and the White House for further insights on the situation.