The photograph, originally posted on Instagram in November 2021 by failed congressional candidate Jarome Bell, shows Harmony and an older man posing in matching anti-Biden shirts in front of Christmas decorations. Bell's caption called Harmony his "campaign Public Affairs Director" and described her as "a beast."
Harmony appeared to confirm the image's authenticity at the time. When the image was shared by the anti-Maga account PatriotTakes, Harmony replied with another photo of herself in the same shirt at the same location. Asked if the older man was her father or a romantic partner, she replied: "Uncle."
Her LinkedIn profile lists previous roles as a producer for Turning Point USA host Jack Posobiec and as a press aide focusing on crisis management for two far-right Republicans: Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona and former Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida. When Gosar was censured by the House in 2021 for posting an animated video depicting him killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking Joe Biden, Harmony recorded a defense of her boss for his YouTube channel.
The White House declined to comment further on the photograph, but defended Harmony's hiring, noting her experience in conservative media and political communications.
Harmony most recently covered the White House as a correspondent for Real America's Voice, a partisan outlet originally created as a video podcast platform for former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The image has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers and watchdog groups, who argue it reflects poorly on the administration's standards for public-facing staff. Supporters of the president have dismissed the controversy, noting that the image predates Harmony's government service and that she has a right to free expression.