An aide responsible for operating President Donald Trump’s teleprompter has been placed on unpaid leave following reports that he used his position to place lucrative bets on an online prediction market about what the president would say in public addresses.
Allegations, platform action and regulatory referral
The story centres on trades made on the Kalshi platform, which runs a market that allows users to speculate on whether particular words or phrases will appear in public speeches. Kalshi’s head of enforcement said the company’s surveillance team flagged and investigated suspicious trades and referred the matter to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the regulator with authority over the platform.
“We have been assisting regulators on this matter and provided all evidence that we collected, as we do with any referral,”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters President Trump is aware of the situation and described it as “unfortunate” and “a disgrace”. She also said the White House maintains strict ethical guidelines governing staff conduct.
What has been reported
ABC News reported that the operator, who has been in the role since 2016, allegedly made more than $100,000 (£74,225) betting on the content of major speeches, including this year’s State of the Union. The network’s account drew on multiple unnamed sources. Kalshi has a policy that requires users to disclose their employer and forbids using information obtained through one’s job to place trades.
- Kalshi’s surveillance reportedly identified the trades and referred them to the CFTC.
- The White House aide is currently on unpaid leave while the matter is examined.
- President Trump has been briefed on the case, according to the White House.
Local context and wider implications
Though this incident relates to the workings of the US presidency, questions of public-sector ethics, insider advantage and regulatory oversight have parallels for British public life. For readers in Darlington and County Durham, the affair is a reminder of the importance of clear rules and robust supervision where public office intersects with private gain.
The CFTC’s involvement means the investigation has moved beyond the platform itself to a federal regulator, though the company’s statement did not name the individual involved. Kalshi said it had recently introduced a requirement for users to disclose their place of work and that its rules bar trading on information acquired through employment.
At this stage there has been no official comment from the individual implicated beyond the White House statement that the aide is on unpaid leave. The unfolding inquiry could prompt further scrutiny of prediction markets and the safeguards they put in place to prevent misuse of privileged information.
| Known facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | Kalshi (prediction market) |
| Regulator notified | US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) |
| Reported winnings | More than $100,000 (reported figure) |
| Employment action | Unpaid leave |
As the inquiry proceeds, the key questions will be whether any rules were broken and what penalties, if any, follow. For now, the case is a developing example of how digital trading tools intersect with the conduct of those close to centres of power.
