Trump aide suspended over Kalshi prediction market bets
A White House teleprompter operator has been suspended without pay after allegedly profiting from prediction market bets on the content of US President Donald Trump’s speeches, with the administration describing the conduct as a serious breach of ethics.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump ordered the staff member removed from duties after reports that Gabriel Perez had wagered on specific words and phrases appearing in presidential speeches through prediction market operator Kalshi.
According to reports, Perez allegedly made more than US$100,000 from bets linked to speeches including the State of the Union address, Davos remarks and other presidential appearances, with Kalshi freezing more than US$90,000 in profits pending the matter’s resolution.
Kalshi said it identified suspicious trading activity through its market surveillance systems, referred the matter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and has been assisting regulators with evidence gathered during its internal investigation.
The case adds to the growing scrutiny of US prediction markets amid insider trading concerns, with a separate federal prosecution alleging that a US soldier used classified information to generate more than US$400,000 in prediction market profits.
The White House said strict ethics rules prohibit staff from using non-public information for personal gain, while the controversy comes despite Donald Trump Jr. serving as an adviser to Kalshi since early 2025.
