The White House has defended President Donald Trump’s decision to give three senior aides $45,000 each as holiday gifts, saying the payments were personal and unrelated to their official government duties.
Financial disclosures filed by the aides show that Natalie Harp, Chamberlain Harris, and Margo Martin each received $45,000 from Trump, Washington Post reported.
The three payments totaled $135,000 and came on top of each aide’s $150,000 annual taxpayer-funded salary, according to publicly disclosed White House documents.
The disclosures identify Trump as the source of the payments and describe each as a “cash gift for the holidays.” The filings were made under federal public financial disclosure requirements.
What did the White House say?
The White House has defended President Donald Trump’s decision to give $45,000 cash holiday gifts to three of his aides, saying the payments were personal gifts and unrelated to their government work.
{{/usCountry}}The White House has defended President Donald Trump’s decision to give $45,000 cash holiday gifts to three of his aides, saying the payments were personal gifts and unrelated to their government work.
{{/usCountry}}The response came after Politico reporter Sophia Cai posted on X that Natalie Harp, Chamberlain Harris and Margo Martin each received $45,000 in cash for the holidays, according to their financial disclosures. Cai stated that the payments came on top of their $150,000 taxpayer-funded annual salaries.
A White House spokesperson defended the payments, saying:
“The President 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 gifts at issue here have nothing to do with any of these individuals’ official government duties, and, therefore, are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards.”
A White House official told Associated Press 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.”
Who received the gifts?
The recipients are among the White House aides with the most regular access to Trump.
Harp serves as a special assistant and executive assistant to the president. She has attracted attention for her role in preparing printed articles, social media posts and other material for Trump.
Harris is deputy director of Oval Office operations and an executive assistant to Trump. She was also appointed by the president to the Commission of Fine Arts, a federal panel involved in architectural and design decisions in Washington.
Martin is Trump’s communications adviser. She frequently travels with the president and records and posts videos of him, according to the disclosures-related report.
How much were the gifts worth?
Each $45,000 payment represented 30% of the recipient’s $150,000 annual White House salary. Together, the gifts amounted to $135,000.
The filings provide limited additional information about the gifts. They do not detail why the three aides received the same amount or provide further explanation of the circumstances surrounding the payments.
The White House’s explanation rests on the distinction between a personal gift and compensation connected to government work. The administration says these payments fall into the former category and therefore comply with the relevant legal and ethical standards.