By M. Abubakar
Financial Disclosures Reveal Presidential Payments
President Donald Trump gave $45,000 cash gifts to executive assistant Natalie Harp and two other female aides, according to annual executive branch financial disclosure statements first reported by The Washington Post.
The disclosures list the funds as a “cash gift for the holidays”. In addition to Harp, the recipients include:
- Chamberlain Harris: Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
- Margo Martin: Communications Adviser
All three aides earn an annual salary of $150,000 paid by taxpayers, making the gifts equivalent to nearly one-third of their yearly compensation. Longtime aide Walt Nauta—who previously faced charges in Trump’s classified documents case before it was dropped—also disclosed a $20,000 holiday gift from the president.
The White House Response
In a statement addressing the payments, the White House press office defended the legality and ethics of the gifts:
“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.”
Political Scrutiny and Harp’s Role
The spotlight on Harp, a 35-year-old former far-right TV anchor, intensified following a viral speech by Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Calling her out by name, Ossoff criticized Trump for traveling with her on a “defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar,” referencing a secret flight to leave Turkey due to security threats from Iran.
Harp joined Trump’s team in 2022 and has remained one of his most dedicated aides. Frequently typing his Truth Social dictations, allies nicknamed her the “human printer” due to her habit of trailing him with a constant stream of printed headlines, social media posts, and letters.
