Billion-dollar clip for Trump's buddies: Request investigation

Donald Trump

Demands that Trump be investigated: "He's playing with fire"

Emil Forsberg

Updated 21.58 | Published 21.35

Trump wrote a while before the announcement of the tariff break that it is a perfect time to buy. Trump's companies rushed on Wall Street. Photo: AP

"He made 2.5 billion today - and he 900 million" said Trump and pointed to his buddies.

Now he is accused of giving them inside information ahead of the stock market rally.

- He is playing with fire, says former White House chief counsel Richard Painter.

"THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO BUY!!", thundered Donald Trump on Truth Social .

The post was signed with DJT, which is not only Trump's initials but also the stock name of the company Trump Media & Technology Group.

The company's stock then rose violently on the stock exchange and closed 21 percent up.

In a video from the White House that is being spread on social media, Trump walks around pointing at men in the room and says:

"He made 2.5 billion today and he made 900 million. That's not bad."

Former White House Chief Counsel Richard Painter accuses Trump of playing with fire. Photo: Glen Stubbe/AP

It is unclear whether the large profits are connected to Trump's posts on Truth Social - but Democratic senators Ruben Gellego and Adam Schiff want to find out.

"Who knew?"

On Thursday, they contacted the government ethics committee to investigate whether members of the Trump administration were informed in advance of Trump’s plans to announce a 90-day tariff break — and whether they profited from it.

“Who in the administration knew about Trump’s latest tariff reversal in advance? Did anyone buy or sell stocks and make money at the public’s expense?” Democratic Senator Adam Schiff wrote on X.

Democratic Senator Adam Schiff wants to find out if the profits are linked to Trump’s posts on Truth Social. Photo: Ben Curtis/AP

The White House is pushing back against reports that Trump improperly manipulated the market.

“It is the responsibility of the US president to reassure markets and Americans about their economic security as the media continues to spread fear,” spokesman Kush Desai wrote in an email to the Washington Post.

“Playing with fire”

Richard Painter, who was general counsel under George W. Bush, says Trump is taking big risks by posting on social media referring to the stock market.

He says Trump is “playing with fire.”

“He is exposing himself to accusations that he is involved in market manipulation, which could potentially mean that he is providing inside information or other forms of securities fraud,” he says.