Donald Trump's million-dollar gift to his assistant, Natalie Harp, is shaking the walls of the White House
Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and Chamberlain Harris received a large sum of money
The amounts appear in the financial disclosures of the three advisers, recently released by the U.S. Administration . In the documents, Donald Trump appears as the person who made the payments, described as a “cash gift for the holidays”.
The figure is especially striking because of its size. Each of the three aides receives an annual salary close to $150,000 for her work in the White House , so the money received as a gift is approximately equivalent to 30% of her annual salary.
Donald Trump gave a total of $135,000 in cash to three of his closest aides at the White House . The beneficiaries, Natalie Harp , Margo Martin and Chamberlain Harris, stated that they had each received $45,000 from the U.S. president, payments that have raised doubts among ethics experts about their possible legal standing.
Trump and the doubts about the legality of the payments: the “gift” amounts to 30% of their salaries
The payments have sparked controversy because U.S. federal legislation places restrictions on the additional compensation that public employees may receive beyond their official salary.
Natalie Harp , 35, is the best known of the three. Her closeness to Trump has on several occasions placed her at the center of media attention. Margo Martin , 31, works as a communications adviser and usually accompanies the president to record content for his social media.
The third beneficiary is Chamberlain Harris , 26, who serves as the executive assistant to the president and is also part of his innermost circle.
But those were not the only amounts handed over. According to information published by U.S. media, Trump also allegedly gave $20,000 to Walt Nauta, director of operations for the Oval Office and the president's former personal aide.
Experts consulted by the American press say they do not recall similar public precedents in which a president had handed such large amounts of cash to White House employees. A case that once again puts the internal practices of Trump’s closest circle under the spotlight.
