In a dramatic sequence of events, former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing intense scrutiny after a Truth Social post declaring it a “great time to buy” was followed just hours later by a surprising pause on proposed trade tariffs. The timing of the announcement sent global stock markets soaring and prompted Democratic lawmakers to call for investigations into possible market manipulation and insider trading.
On Wednesday morning, shortly after U.S. markets opened, Trump posted: “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT” — a rare move, notably signed off with his initials. Within four hours, he announced a 90-day suspension on additional trade tariffs for most countries, excluding China. The markets responded explosively: the S&P 500 closed up more than 9%, the Nasdaq surged over 12%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 9% the following day. Trump Media & Technology Group — trading under the ticker “DJT” — also jumped by 22%.
The sequence of events has raised alarms. Senator Adam Schiff called the policy reversal a potential opportunity for “insider trading” and vowed to write to the White House seeking clarity on who had advance knowledge. Senator Chris Murphy echoed the concerns, posting on X that an “insider trading scandal is brewing,” pointing to the suspicious timing of Trump’s tweet.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to social media to demand stock trade disclosures from all members of Congress, hinting at “interesting chatter” she’d heard. She emphasized that the public would learn more by the May 15 disclosure deadline and called for a ban on congressional insider trading.
The White House attempted to dismiss concerns, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggesting the move was consistent with Trump’s long-standing negotiation tactics — his so-called “art of the deal.” Trump, when asked when the decision was made, replied vaguely: “This morning… over the last few days.”
Meanwhile, Trump has maintained pressure on China, raising tariffs on Chinese imports from 104% to 125%, even as he eased up on most other countries. China retaliated with 84% tariffs on U.S. goods, indicating the trade war may be far from over.
As investigations loom, the spotlight is firmly fixed on the intersection of policy, power, and profit.
