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Trump's teleprompter operator on unpaid leave for alleged Kalshi bets on Trump speeches
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump’s teleprompter operator, Gabriel Perez, is on unpaid leave after reports he used insider knowledge to bet over $100,000 on Trump’s speeches via the online prediction market Kalshi.
- Kalshi alerted federal regulators about suspicious bets related to Trump's public addresses, prompting an investigation by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the behavior as a “disgrace” and emphasized strict ethical guidelines within the administration.
- The controversy arises amid broader scrutiny of Trump’s financial dealings, including reported profits exceeding $1.2 billion from crypto businesses and merchandising since returning to office.
- Despite criticism, Trump’s aides maintain he complies with all applicable conflict-of-interest laws and deny he is profiting improperly from the presidency.
