Congress members traded stocks heavily as Trump – Business News
Members of Congress traded heavily in April as President Trump’s tariff rollout hit the stock market — and a few of probably the most energetic merchants had been vocal proponents of stock-trading bans, in response to public filings.
More than a dozen House lawmakers and their household members revamped 700 stock trades from April 2 to April 8 as Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs spooked traders and triggered sharp market swings, in response to a Wall Street Journal evaluation of disclosure filings launched Tuesday.
US Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has beforehand referred to as for trading bans, led the pack with gross sales of more than 200 shares and choices and the acquisition of more than 110 securities, the evaluation discovered.
Rep. Ro Khanna topped the evaluation as probably the most energetic stock trader during the week of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. AP
The Silicon Valley congressman stated the trades had been made by exterior advisers who handle trusts for his spouse and kids. Those trusts’ securities have really dropped in worth since April 2, in response to his workplace.
Khanna — who not too long ago referred to as on the left to rethink Elon Musk and has spurred murmurs of a potential White House marketing campaign – advised the Journal he’s more likely to assist stock-trading restrictions proposed by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers.
Asked about a potential White House marketing campaign, a spokesperson for Khanna advised The Post he’s “focused on winning back the House.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who has stated she doesn’t commerce particular person stock, and several other different Congress members are engaged on a invoice to additional limit stock-trading by lawmakers.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has confronted criticism for her stock trading exercise — racking up a 65% return on her portfolio in 2023 whereas her enterprise capitalist husband made $38 million value of stock trades within the weeks main up to Trump’s inauguration.
Nancy Pelosi on the MOCA Gala 2025 in May. Getty Images for The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
There’s an account on X with 1.1 million followers wholly dedicate to monitoring her investments.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R – Ga.) has not too long ago taken heat for buying no less than $28,000 value of stocks in corporations like FedEx, Amazon, Lululemon and Palantir in April after Trump unveiled steep tariffs.
She was the sixth most energetic trader within the House during the week of Trump’s tariffs, in response to the Journal’s evaluation.
Greene made one sale transaction during the identical period, unloading no less than $50,000 in US Treasury payments earlier than Trump introduced the tariffs pause, in response to the Journal.
All of the congresswoman’s investments are “reported with full transparency” and managed by an exterior financial adviser, Greene advised The Post in a assertion.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was the sixth most energetic trader, in response to the Journal’s evaluation. AP
Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R – Pa.) trailed Khanna as the second most energetic trader during that week with gross sales of more than 100 shares and choices and the acquisition of fewer than 100 securities, in response to the Journal’s evaluation.
A spokesperson for Bresnahan advised the Journal his trades had been made by an exterior financial adviser and executed with out his information. Bresnahan didn’t instantly reply to The Post’s requests for remark.
Rep. Julie Johnson (D – Texas) took the fourth spot, making 56 stock gross sales two days earlier than Trump paused the tariffs – so she missed out on the market rally, the Journal’s evaluation discovered. Some 53 of these stocks later rose.
A spokesperson for Johnson advised The Post she is within the course of of divesting her stocks, that are managed by an impartial financial adviser, into ETFs and mutual funds.
President Trump greets Rep. Rob Bresnahan on the Invest America Roundtable. Getty Images
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D – Fla.) – who has signed a invoice that may limit trading – made 23 stock purchases of no less than $1,000 every in corporations like Amazon, Nvidia and Visa during the market hunch. At least 20 of these stocks have risen since then, in response to the Journal.
He made two gross sales of no less than $1,000 during the identical period.
The trades had been made by a financial supervisor who doesn’t contain Moskowitz, a spokesperson advised The Post.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D – NJ) tapped a call choices commerce tied to Microsoft – a a lot riskier commerce – during the identical tumultuous period.
A spokesperson for Gottheimer advised The Post he turned over management of his investments to an exterior adviser earlier than taking workplace.
He is within the course of of setting up a blind trust, which he believes needs to be required for all lawmakers, the spokesperson added.
