The White House has again branded journalist Aaron Rupar a "sick freak" as officials defended staffer Ellie Acra after a viral video showed her directing photographers away from President Donald Trump during a visit to Ireland. The clash comes just one day after the administration's Rapid Response 47 account used similar language to attack Rupar over a separate post involving Trump aide Natalie Harp, escalating an increasingly public feud between the White House and the independent journalist. The latest dispute centers on footage filmed at Shannon International Airport in County Clare, Ireland, during the president’s trip this weekend.
In the footage, Acra can be seen moving members of the press corps away from an area near Trump and members of his family on the runway. Sharing the clip on X, Rupar wrote: "another blonde Trump flunkie starts literally shoving photographers away from Trump." The White House's Rapid Response 47 account rejected that characterization, responding: "This is a press wrangler doing her job and doing it well." The account then attacked Rupar personally, writing: "Aaron, meanwhile, is gutter trash (in his 40s) who spends his days hiding behind his keyboard and making disturbing comments about women doing their jobs. Truly a sick freak!" Rupar later replied that the administration was once again focusing on his age, writing that the "taxpayer-funded incitement account" was attacking him for being in his 40s and encouraging harassment.
In a separate post, he noted it was the second straight day the account had targeted him. Newsweek reached out to Rupar, Acra and the White House via email for comment. Acra works in the Trump White House travel office and regularly accompanies the president on trips.
A graduate of Greensburg Community High School and Purdue University, Acra previously worked as a reporter before joining the administration where she is now a press assistant. Acra comes from a well-known business family in southeastern Indiana. Her grandfather, Richard "Rick" Acra, is the longtime owner of the Acra Automotive Group dealership network and was named a local "Hometown Hero" in 2026 for decades of business and community involvement.
The Acra family has been active in the Greensburg area for generations. The latest exchange follows a separate confrontation involving Trump aide Natalie Harp. On Saturday, Rupar posted a photograph of Harp attending a White House event in Ireland alongside the message: "Look who made the trip to Ireland! #TravelWithNatalie." Rapid Response 47 responded by calling him a "sick, deluded freak (in his 40s)" and accusing him of posting "creepy things." The White House criticism comes amid ongoing attention surrounding Harp's close working relationship with Trump.
Last week, ex-White House lawyer Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush, told Newsweek the president could even face impeachment over a $45,000 cash gift he gave to Natalie Harp. A White House official told Newsweek that the gifts were not related to the recipients’ official government duties and "therefore are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards." The White House has not issued a formal statement beyond posts from the official Rapid Response 47 account.
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