July 16, 2026

Gabriel Perez Placed on Leave Amid Insider Trading Investigation

Gabriel Perez, a teleprompter operator for President Trump, has been placed on unpaid leave following allegations of making over $100,000 from insider trading on the content of Trump's speeches.
The White House confirmed that Perez's trading activity was flagged by Kalshi, leading to a freeze on his profits and a referral to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the president is aware of the situation, which she described as 'deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace.'

14 Sources

Teleprompter operator allegedly made Kalshi bets on Trump statements; CFTC investigating
Jul 16, 2026 at 3:41 PM · CNBC
Trump’s teleprompter operator under investigation for insider trading, sources say
Jul 16, 2026 at 4:14 PM · CNN
White House teleprompter operator investigated over alleged trades on Trump speeches
Jul 16, 2026 at 4:54 PM · Axios
Federal regulators are probing prediction-market bets allegedly made by a White House teleprompter operator on President Trump’s speeches that netted more than $100,000 in profit
Jul 16, 2026 at 5:05 PM · WSJ
Officials probe whether White House teleprompter operator profited off Trump's words
Jul 16, 2026 at 5:10 PM · NPR
Kalshi says it's working with feds over nearly $100K in Trump teleprompter speech bets
Jul 16, 2026 at 5:27 PM · The Hill
White House suspends teleprompter operator accused of placing bets on speeches: 'Disgrace'
Jul 16, 2026 at 6:02 PM · The Hill
White House teleprompter operator made more than $100,000 betting on Trump’s speeches, report says
Jul 16, 2026 at 6:28 PM · Independent
White House condemns staffer accused of betting on Trump speech as a 'disgrace'
Jul 16, 2026 at 6:48 PM · Fox News
White House teleprompter operator accused of making $100k off Trump speech bets
Jul 16, 2026 at 6:52 PM · BBC
White House Teleprompter Operator Bet on Trump Speeches, Kalshi Says
Jul 16, 2026 at 7:13 PM · NYT
White House teleprompter operator placed on leave after betting on Trump speeches
Jul 16, 2026 at 8:25 PM · Washington Post
White House teleprompter operator put on leave over alleged bets on Trump speeches
Jul 16, 2026 at 9:04 PM · The Guardian
White House teleprompter operator on unpaid leave after alleged bets on Trump speeches
Jul 16, 2026 at 10:19 PM · The Hill