President Trump's Cash Gifts to Staff Violate Federal Law, Campaign Legal Center Complaint Alleges

Date
Case
Enforcing and Strengthening Executive Branch Ethics Laws
Holding the Trump Administration to High Ethical Standards
Issues
Ethics

WASHINGTON — Today, the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, calling for an investigation into whether four employees in the Executive Office of the President — namely Natalie Harp, Chamberlain Harris, Margo Martin and Walt Nauta — accepted cash payments in 2025 from the president in violation of criminal law, and if so, refer the matter to the Department of Justice.

In 2025, the maximum salary for full-time White House employees was $195,200, a rate all four recipients were not eligible for due to the comparatively junior positions they each held. The amounts of the payments each received seem to have been chosen to bring them close to that maximum. Harp, Harris and Martin’s salaries were $150,000, and they each received an additional payment of $45,000 from the president, while Nauta had a $175,000 salary and he received an additional payment of $20,000 from the president. Accepting such payments violates U.S. law.

“The American public has a right to know where government employees' loyalties lie. Laws prohibiting government employees from receiving supplemental income are not arbitrary; they exist to ensure that public servants’ priorities remain focused on public service, not a wealthy benefactor who may have other objectives in mind,” said Kedric Payne, vice president, general counsel and senior director for ethics at Campaign Legal Center. “An investigation into this matter is clearly warranted, and, if a violation is indeed found, this matter must be referred to the Department of Justice.”

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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.

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