- Trump’s sudden tariff reversal and Truth Social post raise fresh concerns about insider trading.
- Lawmakers like Schiff and AOC are pushing for investigations and stricter stock-trading rules.
- Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders are signaling growing support for a trading ban in Congress.
In the wake of President Trump’s latest tariff chaos, Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm about potential insider trading—again. Markets took a hit after Trump slapped tariffs on dozens of countries, only to rebound days later when he reversed course… right after calling it “a great time to buy” on Truth Social. You can’t make this stuff up.
The whole thing has triggered calls from Democrats for tighter restrictions on stock trading by members of Congress and federal policymakers. The timing, they argue, looks suspicious at best—and downright manipulative at worst.
Lawmakers Demand Answers: “Who Knew What and When?”
Senator Adam Schiff didn’t mince words, accusing Trump of fueling “giant market fluctuations” that open the door for insider profits. He’s demanding an investigation into whether anyone in the administration traded on knowledge of the tariff reversal before it was made public.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez echoed the call, warning that if any lawmakers bought stocks in the 48 hours before the reversal, they better come clean fast. “I’ve been hearing some interesting chatter on the floor,” she teased. The disclosure deadline’s May 15, and it sounds like some names could be dropped.
AOC, who’s been pushing a stock trading ban in Congress for a while now, reiterated her stance: “The info we get as lawmakers should be used to help people—not make us richer.” Fair point.
Mounting Pressure for Reform in Congress
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appears to be warming up to the idea too. In a recent MSNBC interview, he said he’d support legislation banning members of Congress from actively trading stocks—though he didn’t fully back AOC’s proposal, which includes banning ownership outright.
Jeffries singled out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a potential red flag. According to reports, she made a slew of trades during the tariff drama and might have benefited from Trump’s social media post. “Exhibit A,” Jeffries called her, adding, “We’re watching corruption happen in real time.”
He also pledged that Democrats will “shine a spotlight” on these issues and push for real reforms—promising, “We do need to change the law so that sitting members of Congress cannot trade stock, period.”
Still, it remains to be seen whether anything substantial will come from the uproar. But one thing’s for sure: the public’s patience with political profiteering is running thin.
