U.S. President Donald Trump gave three members of his staff, including aide Natalie Harp, $45,000 each as Christmas gifts.
The White House confirmed the payments on Tuesday evening in a statement posted on X.
The $45,000 gifts amount to roughly one-third of the $150,000 annual salary reportedly earned by each of the three White House employees.
According to the White House press office, Trump has a longstanding tradition of giving Christmas presents to people in his inner circle, including staff members and advisers.
Officials stressed that the payments were personal gifts and had no connection to the employees’ official government responsibilities. The White House said the gifts were therefore permitted under applicable legal and ethics rules.
Harp, who is considered part of Trump’s close circle, has attracted increased attention in recent weeks. The former television presenter rarely appears publicly but is widely regarded as one of Trump’s most loyal aides and is believed to play an important role in managing access to the president.
Among her reported responsibilities has been helping publish content on Trump’s Truth Social account.
