President Donald Trump gave thousands of dollars in cash gifts to four close White House aides last year, according to financial disclosures released by the White House. The payments have attracted attention because federal law generally restricts government employees from receiving additional compensation beyond their official salaries.
The disclosures show that executive assistant Natalie Harp, communications adviser Margo Martin, and deputy director of Oval Office operations Chamberlain Harris each received $45,000. The payments were described as a “Cash Gift for Holidays.” Walt Nauta, the director of Oval Office operations, received a separate $20,000 cash gift.
The amounts were significant compared with the aides’ government salaries. Harp, Martin and Harris each earn approximately $150,000 annually, meaning their gifts were equal to about 30% of their yearly federal pay. Nauta earns $175,000.
The payments have prompted questions from government ethics experts. Richard W. Painter, who previously served as a White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, criticized the practice and questioned whether federal employees should receive such substantial personal gifts from the president.
The White House, however, said the payments followed applicable ethics rules. Spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump has a longstanding tradition of giving Christmas gifts to people close to him, including employees and aides. He argued that the gifts were unrelated to the recipients’ official government duties and were therefore permissible.
Harp and Nauta are considered among Trump’s most trusted aides. Harp also manages Trump’s Truth Social account and assists with his social media communications.
Nauta previously faced federal allegations connected to classified documents Trump retained after leaving office in 2021. He pleaded not guilty, and the case was later dropped after Trump returned to office.
The disclosures are likely to keep attention focused on the boundaries between personal gifts, government employment and federal ethics rules.
