Donald Trump praised a series of companies, or highlighted their products, shortly after sizable purchases of their stock were made on his behalf, according to a new analysis.
Unlike previous presidents, Trump has not placed his holdings in a blind trust, a decision that allows him to view the stocks being bought and sold by the money managers overseeing his assets.
While the arrangement bars Trump and his family from personally directing those trades, it still gives the Republican president insight into the companies in which he holds shares.
A CNN review found that Trump promoted more than 20 companies on Truth Social within days of share purchases involving those businesses.
In some instances, the posts coincided with announcements about potential government action on matters that could prove beneficial to the companies, the analysis said.
It remains unclear whether Trump was aware of the stock transactions before he posted about the companies or their products. Some of the trades that took place before related posts were also part of large batches involving hundreds of transactions.
The billionaire Republican has said he would sign legislation banning stock trading by members of Congress, but he has strongly resisted proposals aimed at limiting similar financial activity by US presidents.
The White House rejected the suggestion that Trump has used the presidency for personal financial gain.
A CNN analysis found that President Donald Trump has promoted over 20 companies on Truth Social just days after purchasing their shares
His posts complimented the business, quoted its CEO or featured the company’s products just days after he purchased shares
Trump can see the stocks that he owns but he cannot direct his money managers to purchase shares, according to the structure of his account, which is not a blind trust
‘All of President Trump’s assets are in held in fully discretionary accounts managed by independent third-party financial institutions,’ White House Spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Daily Mail. ‘There are no conflicts of interest.’
‘This is the same, tired narrative that Democrats have pushed against President Trump, his family, and his administration for a decade.’
Still, the timing of some of the President’s stock trades and fawning posts is uncanny.
On April 15, 2025, for example, Trump posted on his social media app that he had some ‘very big and exciting news’ about Nvidia. ‘All necessary permits will be expedited and quickly delivered,’ to the company, he wrote.
Just days earlier he had bought between $200,000 and $500,000 of Nvidia stock, according to the analysis.
In total, the CNN analysis discovered that the President at minimum made 44 stock transactions in 21 companies within the week he penned a complimentary social media post about them.
The posts ranged from the president mentioning the firm, to sharing articles about them or circulating comments from their CEOs. There were also instances reported where the President bought a stock and then went on to criticize it or its leadership.
The President’s 2025 financial disclosure released last month shows over 21,000 transactions, averaging out to 57 per day.
All former Presidents going back at least five decades have put their assets into a blind trust, meaning they could not know what stocks were being traded on their behalf.
It is unclear whether the President was aware of his stock purchases before he penned posts complimenting those firms
Trump’s recent financial disclosure showed that he made $2.2 billion in revenue in 2025
On July 31, 2025, Trump bought between $15,000 and $50,000 of stock in American Eagle Outfitters.
Four days later he posted online complimenting the brand’s ad campaign with heartthrob actress Sydney Sweeney.
‘Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there,’ the President posted. ‘It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ’em Sydney!’
The post prompted headlines and free publicity for the clothing retailer.
‘This man will do anything to illegally profit off being the president, no matter how brazen,’ California Democratic Congressman Jared Huffman reacted to the story.
‘Trump’s newest textbook demonstration of corruption is buying up a bunch of stock, then hopping on Truth Social to promote the same companies and give those stocks a big boost. Every single day Trump redefines ethical rock bottom.’
