White House Teleprompter Operator Departs Amid Insider-Betting Probe

The official declined to specify whether Perez resigned or was terminated. Perez, who has operated President Donald Trump’s teleprompter since the 2016 campaign, was placed on unpaid administrative leave earlier this month after reports that he used privileged knowledge of the president’s speeches to place bets on the prediction-market platform Kalshi.

The Independent

Kalshi operates a “Mentions” market that lets users wager on specific words or phrases a speaker will use. The platform recently required users to disclose their employer and prohibits betting on information obtained through one’s job. The rapid expansion of prediction markets—trading volume climbing from $100 million the prior year to $3 billion, according to an estimate cited by CNBC—has drawn regulatory attention. Federal prosecutors previously indicted Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. soldier, for betting on the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and allegedly earning $400,000. Kalshi has also fined political candidates for wagering on their own races.

The GuardianThe IndependentAssociated Press

• Winnings: ABC News reported that Perez earned “more than $100,000” in Kalshi winnings by betting on Trump’s speeches, including the State of the Union address.

The Independent

• Platform growth: Kalshi’s trading volume rose from $100 million to $3 billion within a year.

The Guardian

• Other insider cases: Van Dyke’s alleged $400,000 earnings; three congressional candidates fined by Kalshi for betting on their own elections.

The Guardian

• Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The Guardian

• CFTC involvement: The regulator received the referral and holds authority over such markets.

The Guardian

• White House Management Office: In March, the office issued a memo warning staff against using nonpublic information for personal financial gain, reinforcing existing federal ethics rules that bar gambling on government property.

The Independent

State authorities have expressed concern that prediction markets function as unregulated gambling. Minnesota became the first state to ban them entirely in May, though a federal judge temporarily blocked the law. Industry supporters, including President Trump, argue that regulation should remain with the CFTC rather than individual states.

The Guardian

• Enforcement head’s name: Sources differ, naming the Kalshi official as either Robert Denault or Bobby DeNault.

Associated Press

• Criminal investigation status: Some reports state that federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to open a criminal case, while others indicate a settlement requiring Perez to return his profits and refrain from future bets.

Raw Story

• Employment termination: The White House official did not confirm whether Perez resigned or was fired, leaving the precise nature of his departure unclear.

Raw Story

• “I think this played out exactly how it should,” — Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary

The Independent