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Donald Trump Gave Natalie Harp $45,000 for Christmas
The Cut • • nation
Key Points:
- Natalie Harp, Donald Trump’s special assistant and a favored staffer, received a $45,000 cash Christmas gift from the president, along with two other female White House aides who also received the same amount.
- The gifts, described as “Cash Gift for Holidays,” represent about a third of each recipient’s $150,000 government salary, with a male aide receiving a $20,000 gift.
- The Trump administration claims these gifts are legal, stating they are longstanding holiday practices unrelated to official duties and comply with legal and ethical standards.
- Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter argues the gifts are illegal under statutes prohibiting government employees from receiving extra cash from employers, with potential penalties for both giver and receiver.
- The legality of the gifts remains uncertain, and the statute of limitations for such violations is five years, possibly attracting future scrutiny from legal authorities.
