World
White House Disclosures Reveal Trump's Sizable Holiday Cash Gifts to Top Aides
By AP
Newly released financial disclosure forms show that President Donald Trump gave substantial holiday cash gifts to four members of his White House staff. According to the documents, Executive Assistant Natalie Harp, Communications Adviser Margo Martin, and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations Chamberlain Harris each received $45,000, while Walt Nauta, director of Oval Office operations, received $20,000. The figures appeared in the aides' annual financial disclosure forms, which the administration published last week.
According to a White House salary report submitted to Congress, Harp, Martin, and Harris each earn an annual salary of $150,000, while Nauta earns $175,000 per year.
A White House official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said that President Trump has a long-standing habit of giving Christmas gifts to people close to him, including current and former employees, both during his time in government and in the private sector. The official did not specify whether other staffers received similar gifts but stressed that the cash presents were unrelated to the recipients' official government responsibilities, making them permissible under applicable ethical and legal standards.
The gifts were first reported on September 7, 2026, by The Washington Post.
Natalie Harp is frequently seen alongside President Trump and is known for carrying a portable printer so she can provide him with printed copies of favorable news coverage and social media posts, as Trump reportedly prefers reading key information on paper rather than digital screens.
Margo Martin has worked for Trump since his first term, initially serving as a White House press assistant. After Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, she moved with him to Palm Beach, Florida, to help manage his media operations, later returning to the White House following his 2024 election victory.
Earlier this year, Trump appointed Chamberlain Harris to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a body that oversees the White House ballroom project.
Walt Nauta, who previously served as Trump's valet, was charged in 2023 alongside Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira with conspiring with Trump to obstruct an FBI investigation into classified documents Trump allegedly retained after leaving office following his first term. Those charges were dismissed in 2024.