Trump faces growing scrutiny over ‘profoundly concerning’ cash gifts for aides including Natalie Harp

The payments amounted to 30% of each aides’ $150,000 annual salary

Donald Trump may have committed “serious” ethical violations by giving three officials including his close personal aide Natalie Harp cash gifts of $45,000 each, according to a former White House “ethics czar”, as a watchdog group called for an investigation.

The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the US Office of Government Ethics over the US president’s handouts to a handful of staff, arguing that an investigation is “clearly warranted”.