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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 investigation into White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez over alleged trades on prediction markets tied to President Trump's speeches.[1]
Kalshi says it froze Perez's account after spotting suspicious activity, leaving roughly $90,000 in profits locked and referring the trades to the CFTC.[2] Kalshi enforcement chief Robert DeNault said the firm's surveillance team flagged the trades and provided regulators with collected evidence.[2] White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump ordered Perez placed on unpaid administrative leave and called the conduct "deeply unfortunate" and "a disgrace." PBS News Leavitt added that Perez is cooperating with the CFTC and that no other White House staffers are under investigation.[3]
Kalshi's systems first flagged unusual trades in March 2026, the company says, and it investigated internally before involving regulators.[4] CBS identified the teleprompter operator as Gabriel Perez and reported he allegedly made nearly $100,000 on Kalshi bets tied to the 2026 State of the Union and other speeches.[2] PBS cited ABC reporting that Perez has run Trump's teleprompter since 2016 and that some outlets placed his winnings above $100,000.[5]
Initial White House statements and some outlets said Perez was on unpaid administrative leave.[2] Fox News later reported Leavitt told reporters he was on paid administrative leave, creating a public contradiction over his status.[4]
A CFTC spokesperson declined to confirm or deny an investigation.[2] A person familiar with the matter said Perez has cooperated with investigators and is in talks with regulators about a possible settlement.[2]
Show source details & analysis (6 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez over alleged trades on prediction markets tied to the wording of President Trump's speeches, according to Axios.
- Axios reports the probe is focused on potential insider trading based on nonpublic information about the president's scripted remarks and says Perez remains a White House staffer (the investigation is ongoing), per Axios.
- Kalshi says its platform flagged suspicious trades, froze the trader's account and left roughly $90,000 in profits locked after the exchange's review.
- Robert DeNault — Kalshi's enforcement chief — said the firm's surveillance team promptly flagged, investigated and referred the trades to the CFTC and has provided regulators with collected evidence, CBS reports.
- Gabriel Perez has been cooperating with the CFTC and, a source told CBS, is in talks with regulators over a potential settlement.
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump ordered Perez placed on unpaid administrative leave, called the conduct “deeply unfortunate” and “a disgrace,” and said no other White House staffers are under investigation.
- Fox News published a conflicting account from the July 16 briefing saying Leavitt told reporters Perez was on paid administrative leave and noted Kalshi's surveillance first flagged the trades in March 2026, per Fox News.
- PBS and CBS say the White House counsel's office was not aware of the alleged bets before they became public and emphasized that existing ethics guidelines bar using job‑derived nonpublic information for betting (see White House counsel).
- PBS relays ABC's reporting that Gabriel Perez has operated President Trump's teleprompter since 2016 and was alleged to have won more than $100,000 on Kalshi “Mentions” markets tied to major speeches, including the 2026 State of the Union, per ABC News.
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
July 16, 2026
8:21 PM
Trump's teleprompter operator on unpaid leave over alleged Kalshi bets on Trump speeches
New information:
- 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.
6:48 PM
White House condemns staffer accused of betting on Trump speech as a 'disgrace'
New information:
- 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.
6:45 PM
Teleprompter operator made nearly $100K betting on Trump speeches
New information:
- 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."
6:26 PM
WATCH: Trump believes his Kalshi-betting teleprompter operator is a 'disgrace,' Leavitt says
New information:
- 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.
4:54 PM
White House teleprompter operator investigated over alleged trades on Trump speeches
New information:
- 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.