Former President Donald Trump provided substantial cash gifts to four White House staffers, totaling $157,000, with close aide Natalie Harp receiving $45,000. Financial disclosures released by his administration show that two other staff members also received $45,000 each, while Walt Nauta, a longtime aide and director of Oval Office Operations, was given $22,000.
These gifts are the only declared instances of a serving U.S. president giving cash to White House staffers. Federal employees are generally prohibited from receiving outside compensation for their duties. The White House, however, stated that the gifts were personal, unrelated to the staffers' official roles, and permissible under U.S. law. An official White House statement noted that the president has a long-standing practice of giving holiday gifts to individuals in his circle, including employees and aides, both during his time in government and in the private sector. The gifts were described as being for the holidays.
The recipients of these cash gifts are considered to be among those closest to the president. Natalie Harp, 35, has served as one of Trump's longest-serving and most loyal aides, often responsible for transcribing his social media posts. Walt Nauta, a U.S. Navy veteran, has been a consistent presence by Trump's side, serving as a military valet and later as an assistant at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Nauta was indicted alongside Trump in June 2023 on charges related to the mishandling of national security documents, a case that was ultimately dismissed.
Margo Martin, a communications advisor, is known for documenting Trump's activities on social media. Chamberlain Harris, 26, officially serves as the president's executive assistant and was appointed to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, overseeing projects directed by Trump in Washington.
Cassandra Burke Robertson, a law professor and director of the Center for Professional Ethics at Case Western Reserve University, commented that determining the ethical nature of the cash gifts is complex. She noted that if the gifts were considered compensation, they would be impermissible, contrasting with the administration's assertion that they were social gifts made out of friendship. Robertson added that even if legal, such gifts, alongside other recent controversies, could contribute to a public perception of widespread conflicts of interest.
Unlike these cash gifts, many presidents have historically offered mementos or personal tokens to staff. For instance, President Barack Obama once gave former press secretary Robert Gibbs a framed necktie he had borrowed.