WASHINGTON — A White House teleprompter operator was dismissed from federal service after reports emerged that he used insider knowledge of President Donald Trump’s speeches to win more than $100,000 on the prediction market Kalshi. A White House official stated that Gabriel Perez "no longer works in the federal government."

The official did not disclose whether Perez resigned or was fired, but confirmed his separation from the administration in July 2026. Perez had been placed on unpaid leave earlier in July 2026 following the discovery of his trading activity. The White House serves as the official residence and office of the President of the United States, where Perez worked as a civil engineer operating the teleprompter.

That Perez used inside knowledge to win more than $100,000 betting on President Donald Trump’s speeches on Kalshi. Perez placed successful bets on over a dozen of President Donald Trump’s public speeches over the span of three months, including the State of the Union, a primetime address in December 2025, and remarks made during a Medal of Honor ceremony in March 2026. Sources that Perez would cancel bets mid-speech if President Donald Trump veered off course from his prepared remarks.

Perez bet on what President Donald Trump would say in big speeches, including the State of the Union address earlier in 2026. ABC News described suspicious activity on Kalshi’s "Mentions" market, where users bet on phrases and specific words used in public speeches. Perez won more than half of his $175,000 annual salary betting on Trump's speeches, according to reports. He has operated Donald Trump’s teleprompter since 2016.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the reports of insider trading as "deeply unfortunate and, frankly, a disgrace." Leavitt’s statement addressed the allegations that a federal employee leveraged access to presidential remarks for financial gain on a regulated betting platform.

Robert Denault, Kalshi’s lawyer and head of enforcement, stated on X that the "Kalshi surveillance team promptly flagged, investigated and referred these trades" to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Denault’s statement regarding the referral to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission did not name Gabriel Perez. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has regulatory authority over the trades referred by Kalshi. Kalshi is an American prediction market platform.

Kalshi’s policy prohibits betting based on information users gain because of their job. The platform had previously banned users from making bets based on information from their work, but has since updated its policies to require users to also disclose their place of employment when they sign up. PureSource News previously reported that Kalshi launched regulated perpetual futures and filed an appeal after Judge Torres rejected an injunction.

Gabriel Perez spoke with federal regulators to settle allegations that he successfully wagered on what President Donald Trump would say in public remarks. The specific penalties the commission may impose following the referral remain undetermined. The events surrounding Perez’s employment and trading activity span a decade, from his start in 2016 to his dismissal in 2026.

This case shows the intersection of federal employment and emerging financial markets, where insider access can translate into significant monetary gains. Kalshi, as a regulated prediction market, relies on surveillance to detect and refer suspicious trading patterns to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The referral reflects the regulatory framework governing these platforms, which prohibit users from leveraging non-public information obtained through their employment.

The White House dismissal and the ongoing regulatory review demonstrate the consequences for violating these policies, while the platform’s updated disclosure requirements aim to prevent similar incidents. The incident raises questions about the enforcement capabilities of federal regulators in monitoring real-time betting markets linked to public officials.