Teleprompter operator for Trump placed on unpaid leave amid betting allegations

ATLANTA (AP) — The teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump is currently on unpaid leave following reports that he made bets on the president's speeches using insider knowledge on the prediction market Kalshi, according to the White House. The enforcement chief of Kalshi stated that the company contacted federal regulators regarding the bets related to the president's public addresses. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the situation as 'unfortunate' and 'a disgrace,' noting that the president is aware of the matter. Gabriel Perez, who has operated the teleprompter since 2016, reportedly won over $100,000 by betting on Trump's speeches, including the State of the Union address. Robert Denault, Kalshi's lawyer, indicated that the surveillance team flagged and referred these trades to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The ABC News report, which cited multiple anonymous sources, mentioned suspicious activity on Kalshi's 'Mentions' market, where users can bet on specific phrases used in speeches. Kalshi has since required users to disclose their employment and prohibits betting based on insider information. The report also highlighted Trump's financial disclosures, which indicated significant earnings from his crypto businesses and merchandising deals, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. Leavitt defended the president's business practices, stating he complies with all applicable conflict-of-interest laws.