Trump gave US$45,000 cash to close aide Natalie Harp and others

US President Donald Trump gave tens of thousands of dollars in cash gifts last year to executive assistant Natalie Harp and three other close aides working in the West Wing, according to financial disclosures released by the White House.The payments raised ethics concerns because federal employees are ‌generally barred by statute from receiving compensation beyond their government salaries.Harp, communications adviser Margo Martin and deputy director of Oval Office operations Chamberlain Harris each received US$45,000, described in their disclosures as “Cash Gift for Holidays”.The payments were equivalent to roughly one-third of the aides’ federal salaries of US$150,000 per year, according to the White House annual personnel report to Congress.Walt Nauta, another aide who works as the director of Oval Office operations, received US$20,000 in cash, the disclosures show. His annual ⁠compensation is US$175,000.Margo Martin, special assistant and communications adviser to US President Donald Trump, listens as Trump speaks during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House in August. Photo: APThe Washington Post first reported the gifts on Tuesday.