WASHINGTON: A teleprompter operator for United States (US) President Donald Trump has been placed on unpaid leave, the White House said on Thursday, following allegations that he profited from bets on Trump’s speeches, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been informed of the situation, which she described as “deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace.”
The operator, who has been operating Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, is alleged to have used his inside knowledge of Trump’s speeches to win more than $100,000, broadcaster ABC reported.
The bets were made on Kalshi, a prediction markets platform where users can bet on real-world events.
Kalshi lawyer and head of enforcement Robert DeNault wrote on X that the company had “promptly” flagged, investigated, and referred the trades to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which regulates the platform.
“We have been assisting regulators on this matter and provided all evidence that we collected, as we do with any referral.”
— BERNAMA-dpa
