White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that a teleprompter operator has been placed on unpaid administrative leave following allegations of insider betting on presidential speeches. The employee, identified as Gabriel Perez, is accused of winning more than $100,000 on the online prediction market Kalshi by wagering on the specific content and phrasing of President Trump’s public addresses.
According to Leavitt, Perez allegedly placed bets on more than a dozen events, including the State of the Union and a Medal of Honor ceremony. The White House stated that the president was briefed on the matter and described the actions as a violation of strict ethical guidelines. Perez is currently cooperating with an investigation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Leavitt clarified that the White House Counsel’s Office was unaware of the alleged activity until recently and that no other staffers are currently under investigation. She emphasized that all government employees are briefed on ethical standards that prohibit the use of non-public information for financial gain. The White House has not yet indicated if further disciplinary or legal action will be taken.