Kalshi Reports Trump Teleprompter Operator To Feds

Gabriel Perez, President Donald Trump's teleprompter operator since 2016, has been placed on unpaid leave following allegations of using insider knowledge to place bets on the content of presidential speeches. The online prediction market Kalshi reported these alleged activities to federal regulators, specifically the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which oversees such markets. Kalshi's enforcement chief, Robert Denault, confirmed that the platform's surveillance team identified, investigated, and referred the suspicious trades to the CFTC, stating that Kalshi has been cooperating with regulators and providing all collected evidence.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the situation as "unfortunate" and "a disgrace," emphasizing the administration's strict ethical guidelines. ABC News reported that Perez allegedly won over $100,000 by betting on specific phrases and words Trump would use in major speeches, including the State of the Union address. These reports were based on multiple anonymous sources with knowledge of the matter.

The bets were reportedly made on Kalshi's "Mentions" market, which allows users to wager on the content of public speeches. Kalshi has recently implemented policies requiring users to disclose their employment status and prohibits betting based on job-related information. The platform's actions highlight a growing concern over potential misuse of insider information within political spheres and the role of prediction markets in monitoring such activities.