President Trump provided a “cash gift for the holidays” to three White House aides last year, handing out $45,000 each to his executive assistant Natalie Harp and two other employees who work in the West Wing, according to financial disclosure forms. Besides Ms. Harp, the money went to Margo Martin, his communications adviser; and Chamberlain Harris, the deputy director of Oval Office operations — three of the president’s closest aides. The president also gave $20,000 to Walt Nauta, a longtime aide who was charged alongside him in the 2023 federal prosecution over mishandling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

Prosecutors dropped the case against Mr. Nauta after Mr. Trump took back the presidency. Government employees are generally prohibited from accepting outside salaries. Last year, the Trump administration issued guidance about bonuses, instructing agencies to “reward bonuses to only the highest performers” among its work force.

But in that same guidance, the administration made clear that no bonuses were to be awarded to political appointees. “The freeze on discretionary awards, bonuses and similar payments for federal employees serving under political appointments remains in effect,” the memo from the Office of Personnel Management states. A White House statement posted on social media said Mr. Trump had a “longstanding practice of giving Christmas gifts to people in his orbit. The gifts at issue here have nothing to do with any of these individuals’ official government duties and, therefore, are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards.