Trump disclosed as giving $45,000 holiday gifts to three White House aides and $20,000 to another

Newly released financial disclosure forms indicate President Donald Trump gave cash holiday gifts to four White House aides. Executive assistant Natalie Harp, communications adviser Margo Martin and deputy director of Oval Office operations Chamberlain Harris each received $45,000, while director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta was given $20,000. The aides earn salaries between $150,000 and $175,000 annually, according to the White House’s salary report to Congress.

A White House official told the Associated Press that Trump has a longstanding habit of presenting Christmas gifts to people in his circle, including employees and aides from both his government service and private-sector ventures. The official said the cash gifts were unrelated to the recipients’ official duties and therefore comply with applicable legal and ethical standards.

The disclosures, first reported by a major newspaper, were published by the administration last week. Harp is noted for routinely providing the president with printed media coverage, while Martin has worked with Trump since his earlier White House tenure and continued to assist his media operations after the 2020 election. Harris was appointed earlier this year to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and Nauta, a former valet, had previously faced but saw dismissed in 2024 charges related to an investigation into classified documents.