President Trump gives $45,000 cash holiday gifts to three close aides, sparking ethics scrutiny
President Trump gave $45,000 in cash holiday gifts to three of his closest White House aides: Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and Chamberlain Harris. The payments, which represent approximately 30% of each aide's $450,000 annual salary, were disclosed on financial forms as a "cash gift for holiday."
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Watchdog group Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the US Office of Government Ethics, arguing that the gifts may breach a federal conflict of interest statute. This statute prohibits executive branch employees from receiving payment beyond their salary for performing official duties. Ethics experts noted that the large sums may raise concerns regarding whether the payments were truly personal gifts or supplemental income for official work. The White House denied that the payments represent a breach of ethical codes, stating that the gifts were not connected to the aides' official government jobs and were permissible under ethics rules. The administration announced that President Trump has a longstanding practice of giving Christmas gifts to people in his orbit.
Sources
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