President Donald Trump gave $45,000 holiday cash gifts to three White House aides, according to recently released financial disclosures.

Natalie Harp, Margo Martin and Chamberlain Harris each received $45,000, while another aide, Walt Nauta, received $20,000.

The gifts amounted to roughly one-third of the annual salaries of the three aides who received $45,000.

The large payments have raised questions from government ethics experts about whether such gifts are appropriate for federal employees, CBS News has reported.

The White House defended the payments, saying they were personal gifts unrelated to the aides’ official duties and were permitted under ethics rules.