John McEntee, who was fired as President Donald Trump’s personal aide on Monday, was dismissed from his job because his background check revealed that he gambled frequently, betting thousands of dollars at a time, the Washington Post reported Thursday evening.
Investigators did not believe his gambling was illegal but the habit made him a security risk because he could be influenced by outsiders, according to the Washington Post.
Though McEntee was forced to leave his position in the Trump administration and was hastily escorted off White House grounds, he will join Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign, according to a Tuesday press release.
It had been previously reported by the Wall Street Journal that McEntee was denied a security clearance due to issues with gambling and mishandled taxes, but the extent of his gambling had not been clear. CNN reported earlier this week that McEntee was investigated for “serious financial crimes,” but it’s not clear what he did that may have been illegal.
