TLDR ABC News reported that Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator allegedly used advance knowledge of presidential speeches to place profitable bets on Kalshi. The Commodity Futures Trading
President Donald Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator allegedly used private speech information to place profitable bets on Kalshi, ABC News reported. Gabriel Perez reportedly earned more than $100,000 through wagers linked to words and topics Trump might mention. Federal regulators are now reviewing the activity, while the White House has removed Perez from his duties.
Perez has operated Trump’s teleprompter since 2016 and had advance access to prepared presidential remarks. ABC News said he placed Kalshi bets across more than a dozen speeches during roughly three months. The events included Trump’s State of the Union address and his January appearance at the World Economic Forum.
The report said Perez sometimes changed positions while Trump departed from prepared text during live appearances. Sources said he could allegedly exit certain Kalshi bets when the president moved away from expected language. That trading pattern raised questions about whether he used work-related information unavailable to ordinary market participants.
ABC News said Perez entered settlement discussions with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The talks concern allegations that he used nonpublic speech details for wagers. However, a CFTC spokesperson said the agency “can’t confirm or deny an investigation.”
Kalshi identified unusual activity through its customer onboarding and market surveillance systems, according to reports. The company then referred the matter to the CFTC after conducting an internal review. Its enforcement chief said the platform provided regulators with evidence collected during that process.
“Our surveillance team promptly flagged and referred these trades to the CFTC after an exchange investigation,” Robert DeNault said. He added that Kalshi has assisted regulators and shared evidence, as it does during other referrals. Reuters reported that the company froze Perez’s account before he withdrew more than $90,000 in profits.
Kalshi offers mention markets tied to words, phrases, or topics used during public events. Those contracts can cover political speeches, broadcasts, and corporate earnings calls. Regulators have examined whether people with advance information could manipulate or unfairly profit from such markets.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump knew about the report and discussed it with staff. She said Perez was placed on unpaid leave and would no longer work at the White House. Leavitt also said Trump considered the reported conduct “deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace.”
A White House spokesperson said the administration maintains “strict ethics guidelines” for employees. Officials said they knew of no other staff members suspected of using privileged information for Kalshi trades. Perez is reportedly cooperating with the CFTC while settlement discussions continue.
The Kalshi case adds to wider scrutiny of insider activity across fast-growing prediction markets. Lawmakers have proposed restrictions covering government officials and bets linked to public policy or official actions. Kalshi has introduced employment disclosures and whistleblower measures as regulators assess the latest allegations.
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