President Donald Trump provided substantial holiday gifts to four White House aides, amounting to $45,000 each for three staffers and $20,000 for a fourth, according to financial disclosures released by the administration. The recipients of the $45,000 gifts were executive assistant Natalie Harp, communications adviser Margo Martin, and deputy director of Oval Office operations Chamberlain Harris. Director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta received a $20,000 gift.
These disclosures were published last week by the administration. Harp, Martin, and Harris each have an annual salary of $150,000, while Nauta earns $175,000 annually, according to White House salary disclosures to Congress.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, stated that Trump has a "longstanding practice of giving Christmas gifts to people in his orbit, including at times employees and aides, both in government and in his time in the private sector." The official did not confirm if other staffers received similar gifts. The official also clarified that the cash gifts were not tied to the individuals' official government duties and are therefore considered permissible under legal and ethical standards.
Natalie Harp is known for being a close aide, often seen carrying a portable printer to print favorable media coverage and social media posts for the president. Margo Martin has worked for Trump since his first term, starting as a White House press assistant and later managing his media operations in Palm Beach, Florida, after the 2020 election. She returned to the White House staff after Trump's 2024 victory. Chamberlain Harris was appointed by Trump earlier this year to serve on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which oversees projects including the president's White House ballroom initiative.
Walt Nauta, who previously served as a valet, was charged in 2023 along with Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira for allegedly conspiring with Trump to obstruct the FBI's investigation into classified documents Trump took after leaving office. These charges were dismissed in 2024.