CFTC Probes Trump Teleprompter Aide Over Kalshi Bets As White House Says Leave Is Unpaid
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened an inquiry into White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez over alleged bets on Kalshi markets tied to President Trump's speech wording.[1]
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Perez has been placed on unpaid leave and quoted President Trump calling the conduct "deeply unfortunate" and "a disgrace." PBS News Leavitt said Perez is cooperating with the CFTC, that White House counsel was not aware of the alleged bets before they became public, and that no other staffers are under investigation.[2] A CFTC spokesperson declined to confirm or deny an investigation.[3]
Kalshi's surveillance team first flagged unusual trades in March 2026, froze the trader's account and left roughly $90,000-$100,000 in disputed profits on the exchange before referring the matter to the CFTC.[3] Kalshi requires users to disclose their employer and bars use of job-derived nonpublic information, and the firm's enforcement chief says the company provided regulators with the evidence it collected.[2] Perez has run President Trump's teleprompter since 2016, and a source says he has been cooperating with regulators and is discussing a potential settlement.[3]
Early coverage reported Perez was placed on paid administrative leave, a detail first carried by Fox News.[4] Subsequent reporting and the White House briefing clarified that he was on unpaid leave, a discrepancy that highlighted confusion in the first wave of coverage.[2]
The mainstream summary does not address the broader implications of the incident regarding prediction markets. While it focuses on the immediate investigation into Gabriel Perez, analysts like Jonathan D. Cohen and Isaac Rose-Berman argue that the very existence of platforms like Kalshi creates dangerous incentives, normalizing bets on political events and potentially corrupting public discourse. They contend that insider access, such as that held by a teleprompter operator, can lead to market manipulation, highlighting a significant integrity issue that the mainstream coverage downplays. This perspective suggests that the CFTC's inquiry is not just about one individual's actions but reflects a systemic problem within the prediction market industry that requires stricter regulations to prevent misuse and protect democratic processes.
Moreover, while the summary mentions that Perez is cooperating with the CFTC, it overlooks the critical viewpoint that existing regulatory frameworks are inadequate to prevent insider trading and manipulation. Analysts emphasize that without stronger oversight, prediction markets risk devolving into gambling venues, undermining their intended purpose as informational tools. This broader context raises questions about the legitimacy of prediction markets and the potential need for comprehensive reforms, which the mainstream account fails to explore fully.
Show source details & analysis (7 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, Axios reported the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is investigating White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez over alleged trades on prediction markets tied to the wording of President Trump's speeches.
- Kalshi's surveillance systems first flagged unusual trades in March 2026, froze the trader's account and left roughly $90,000–$100,000 in disputed profits on the exchange before referring the matter to the CFTC.
- CBS and other outlets identified the staffer as Gabriel Perez, who has run President Trump’s teleprompter since 2016 and is alleged to have used Kalshi 'mention' markets tied to specific words or topics in Trump’s speeches.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Perez is cooperating with the CFTC, that White House counsel was not aware of the alleged bets before they became public, and that no other White House staffers are under investigation.
- Leavitt said Perez has been placed on unpaid leave, though Fox News reported earlier he was put on paid administrative leave.
- Leavitt quoted President Trump calling the conduct 'deeply unfortunate' and 'a disgrace' during the July 16, 2026 press briefing.
- A CFTC spokesperson told CBS on Thursday, July 16, 2026 that the agency 'can’t confirm or deny an investigation,' declining to comment on the probe's status.
- CBS reports a source says Perez has been fully cooperative with the CFTC and is in discussions with regulators over a potential settlement.
- Kalshi says it requires users to disclose their employer and bars use of job‑derived nonpublic information for betting; Kalshi's enforcement chief Robert DeNault posted that the firm flagged, investigated and referred the trades and has provided regulators with collected evidence.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (2)
"The City Journal author critiques prediction‑market ads and the industry (Polymarket/Kalshi), arguing that commercial promotion of event‑betting normalizes dangerous incentives (illustrated by the Kalshi teleprompter probe), risks insider exploitation and market manipulation, and needs stronger regulatory limits rather than laissez‑faire treatment."
"The City Journal piece uses the Kalshi/CFTC episode as a lens to argue that while prediction markets can be informative, they are at high risk of becoming gambling casinos unless platforms and regulators impose strict safeguards (insider bans, KYC, transparency and enforcement) to preserve integrity and public trust."
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS aired a July 17, 2026 segment reiterating that Kalshi alleges President Trump's longtime teleprompter operator made more than $100,000 betting on the words Trump would use in his speeches.
- The broadcast piece emphasizes that the trades were specifically tied to prediction markets on the language of Trump’s speeches, as opposed to broader political events.
- The segment further spotlights that Perez has been running Trump's teleprompter since 2016, underscoring the length of his access to advance speech texts.
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump's teleprompter operator is on unpaid leave after reports he used inside knowledge of speeches to bet on Kalshi.
- Leavitt called the situation "unfortunate" and "a disgrace" and said the White House has "extremely strict ethical guidelines" for issues like this.
- ABC News identified the aide as Gabriel Perez, reporting he has operated Trump's teleprompter since 2016 and allegedly won more than $100,000 betting on Kalshi 'Mentions' markets tied to Trump's major speeches, including the 2026 State of the Union.
- Kalshi enforcement chief and lawyer Robert Denault posted on X that Kalshi's surveillance team flagged, investigated and referred the trades to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and has provided regulators with all collected evidence.
- Kalshi recently began requiring users to disclose their employer and bars use of job-derived nonpublic information for betting, a policy the article notes in connection with the alleged conduct.
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the teleprompter operator has been placed on paid administrative leave, whereas earlier reporting described him as on unpaid leave.
- Leavitt publicly quoted President Trump as calling the staffer's alleged conduct "deeply unfortunate" and "a disgrace" during the July 16 White House press briefing.
- Fox News attributes to ABC News that CFTC investigators have already identified the staffer as Gabriel Perez and believe he made tens of thousands of dollars betting on Kalshi markets tied to Trump's speech content.
- Kalshi officials told Fox News their surveillance systems first flagged unusual trades in March 2026, that the platform froze the trader's account leaving more than $90,000 in profits on the exchange, and that they referred the matter to the CFTC.
- Kalshi said the allegedly exploited markets involved common words and topics expected in presidential speeches, and asserted that no classified or otherwise sensitive information was implicated.
- CBS News identifies the White House teleprompter operator under CFTC scrutiny as Gabriel Perez and reports he allegedly made nearly $100,000 on Kalshi bets tied to President Trump’s State of the Union and other speeches.
- Kalshi tells CBS it froze Perez’s account, locking almost all of the profits he made, and that after completing its internal investigation it referred the matter to the CFTC and has been assisting regulators for months.
- Kalshi enforcement head Robert DeNault is quoted saying the firm’s surveillance team promptly flagged and referred the trades to the CFTC after an exchange investigation.
- A CFTC spokesperson told CBS the agency "can’t confirm or deny an investigation," maintaining official silence on the status of the probe.
- A source familiar with the matter says Perez has been fully cooperative with the CFTC and is in talks with agency regulators over a potential settlement.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday, July 16, 2026, that Perez has been placed on unpaid leave and quoted President Trump as calling the conduct "deeply unfortunate" and "a disgrace."
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump ordered teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez placed on unpaid administrative leave.
- Leavitt said Trump believes Perez's alleged betting on Kalshi markets tied to presidential speeches is 'deeply unfortunate' and 'a disgrace.'
- Leavitt stated that Perez is cooperating with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and that no other White House staffers are under investigation.
- She said the White House counsel's office was not aware of the alleged bets before they became public and that existing ethics guidelines already bar such behavior.
- Axios independently reports on July 16, 2026, that the CFTC is investigating White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez over alleged trades on prediction markets tied to the wording of President Trump's speeches.
- The article reiterates that Perez used the Kalshi platform to trade in "mention" markets linked to Trump remarks and that his profits, reported around $90,000, were frozen and his account banned after the exchange flagged suspicious activity.
- Axios emphasizes that the CFTC probe is ongoing and focused on potential insider trading based on nonpublic information about the president's scripted remarks, while Perez remains a White House staffer.