WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump gave holiday gifts of $45,000 each to White House executive assistant Natalie Harp, communications adviser Margo Martin, and deputy director of Oval Office operations Chamberlain Harris. President Donald Trump gave a holiday gift of $20,000 to White House director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta.

The disclosures appeared in White House financial disclosure forms and were first reported. The three aides who received $45,000 gifts each earn an annual salary of $150,000, according to a White House salary disclosure report to Congress. Walt Nauta earns an annual salary of $175,000.

A White House official addressed the payments in a statement regarding the president's personal practices. "Trump 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 official said. The official added that the cash gifts were not related to the "individuals' official government duties, and therefore are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards."

President Trump appointed Chamberlain Harris to serve on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts earlier this year. The commission has oversight over the president's White House ballroom project. Walt Nauta previously served as a valet to Trump before assuming his current role as director of Oval Office operations.

Why It Matters

The financial disclosures reveal significant monetary transfers from the president to senior staff members within the White House, which serves as the official residence and office of the President of the United States. Donald Trump is serving as the 45th and 47th President of the United States, having held the office from 2017 to 2021 and again from 2025. The gifts represent a substantial addition to the base salaries of the recipients, with the $45,000 amount constituting a 30 percent increase over the $150,000 annual salary earned by Harp, Martin, and Harris.

The disparity in gift amounts between the three aides and Nauta marks a 55.6 percent decrease from $45,000 to $20,000. The White House official's statement frames the payments as part of a historical pattern of personal generosity extending into the president's time in the private sector, asserting their separation from official governmental functions. These disclosures provide a detailed look at the financial relationships between the president and his inner circle during his second term.

What's New

Additional reporting provides further detail on the roles and backgrounds of the gift recipients. Natalie Harp is 35 years old and joined Trump's staff in 2022. She is a former far-right TV anchor.

Harp types President Trump's Truth Social posts as he dictates them to her. Donald Trump is the 45th and 47th President of the United States, serving from 2017 to 2021 and from 2025 onward. The White House is the official residence and office of the President of the United States.

How Sources Differ

Reporting on Margo Martin presents different details regarding her tenure. White House annual financial disclosure forms list her as a communications adviser who received a $45,000 gift. Other sources note that Martin returned to the White House with Trump after his 2024 election victory.

Additional records indicate she began working for Trump during his first term as a White House press assistant. Sources also state that Martin assisted Trump with media operations in Palm Beach, Florida, after he lost the 2020 election.

Details about Natalie Harp's specific duties differ across accounts. The financial disclosure forms list her as an executive assistant who received a $45,000 gift. Other sources report that Harp carries a portable printer to print favorable media coverage and social media posts for President Trump.