White House defends Trump’s $45,000 gifts to Natalie Harp and others

The White House has defended President Trump's decision to give $45,000 cash gifts to three young female aides, citing a long-standing practice of holiday gift-giving. The payments have drawn scrutiny due to ethics concerns and the personal nature of the aides' relationships with the president.
Why it matters
The story raises questions about executive branch ethics and the transparency of financial disclosures regarding presidential staff compensation.
Harp’s relationship with Trump has recently been under scrutiny after it was revealed that she was in the catering truck with the president during his secret plane swap in July
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Also covering this story
6 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Trump gave $45,000 holiday gifts to Natalie Harp, two other White House aides
Trump gives Natalie Harp, 2 aides $45,000 each: Why cash gifts for holidays are under scrutiny
Trump Gave $45,000 "Cash Gift For Holidays" To 'Human Printer' Aide: Report
Trump gave $45,000 to Natalie Harp and other White House aides as holiday gifts
Trump gave Natalie Harp and 2 other aides $45,000 as gifts, report says
Trump gave $45,000 cash gifts to Natalie Harp and two other aides, public records show
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