Trump Teleprompter Operator Suspended for Betting Over $100,000 on President's Speeches Using Insider Information

Gabriel Perez, the longtime teleprompter operator for former U.S. President Donald Trump, is under federal investigation for allegedly earning over $100,000 by betting on Trump's speeches using insider knowledge. According to ABC News, Perez placed wagers on more than a dozen speeches over three months, including the February State of the Union address, a December prime-time speech, the January World Economic Forum in Davos, and a March Medal of Honor ceremony. Federal regulators from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) discovered the suspicious activity after the prediction market platform Kalshi alerted them to unusual betting patterns on its "mentions" market, where users bet on whether specific words or topics will be spoken publicly.

Perez, who has operated Trump's teleprompter since the 2016 campaign, reportedly adjusted his bets mid-speech when Trump deviated from the prepared text, demonstrating access to nonpublic information. The White House has suspended Perez following the revelations. He has cooperated with investigators and acknowledged some of the bets. The CFTC has been negotiating a settlement with Perez, which may require him to return his profits and refrain from similar conduct. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to pursue criminal charges. Kalshi recently updated its policies to prohibit wagers based on work-related insider information and now requires users to disclose their employment.

Perez is known as one of Trump's closest aides responsible for reviewing and sometimes last-minute editing of the president's speeches. He was previously questioned by Congress and federal investigators about edits made before Trump's January 6, 2021, Capitol riot speech. The White House issued an internal memo in March warning staff against using nonpublic information for prediction market betting. Perez continued working as a teleprompter operator until his suspension was announced shortly after the ABC report.