Tariff Instability Under Trump Administration Sparks Corruption Allegations

Summary

• Donald Trump’s tariffs, including a 10% tariff on all countries and higher tariffs on China, initially caused a market decline, followed by temporary stabilization after he announced a delay on some tariffs.

• Shortly before announcing the tariff delay, Trump posted “BUY!!!” for “DJT” (his company’s stock ticker) on social media, raising concerns about using insider information for personal financial gain.

• Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly questioned whether Trump’s actions constituted market manipulation and “corruption in plain sight”, especially after he hosted Wall Street executives and boasted about their gains from the market rally.

• Adding to the concerns, Trump’s son Eric, acting as a “Web3 Ambassador,” previously advised followers to buy $ETH before his affiliated company moved large amounts of ETH to an exchange, further fueling suspicions of insider trading and unethical conduct.

Donald Trump’s implementation of substantial tariffs, followed by a partial and temporary suspension, has disrupted market stability, leading to accusations of potential corruption.

Trump’s Tariff Policies Create Market Volatility and Confusion

Senator Elizabeth Warren, among others, has suggested the Trump administration might have exploited inside information for financial gain amidst this economic uncertainty.

On April 2nd, Trump announced a 10% tariff across all countries, alongside other tariffs seemingly based on trade deficit calculations.

This approach resulted in what some considered illogical outcomes, such as imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands.

Furthermore, significant tariffs on China amplified the total tariff burden on that nation to approximately 125%.

Policy U-turn Causes Brief Market Rally Followed by Renewed Decline

These tariff announcements initially caused a sharp downturn in markets.

This trend reversed briefly on Wednesday when Trump declared the 10% baseline tariff and the China tariffs would remain, but other tariffs would be postponed for 90 days—a timeline subject to change at his discretion.

This apparent policy shift temporarily stimulated a market rebound. Despite this, the market experienced a renewed decline following Trump’s subsequent indication of implementing new “sectoral” tariffs, including on pharmaceutical imports.

“Buy DJT” Social Media Post Fuels Insider Trading Accusations

Notably, hours before the tariff policy reversal was publicly announced, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, urging his followers to “BUY!!!” The post specifically referenced “DJT,” which is not only Trump’s initials but also the stock ticker for Trump Media & Technology Group Corp.

Promoting his own company’s stock while holding presidential office is a significant deviation from established ethical norms, raising concerns about overt commercialism from the highest office.

In response, Senator Warren questioned in the Senate whether this situation constituted “market manipulation” or “corruption in plain sight.”

Following the market’s positive reaction to the tariff delay announcement, Trump hosted executives from major Wall Street firms at the Oval Office.

During this meeting, he reportedly highlighted the financial gains made by individuals due to the market rally, publicly stating specific dollar amounts earned by attendees.

Audio evidence suggests financial executives responded with amusement to these pronouncements.

Family Members’ Financial Advice and Asset Movements Raise Further Questions

Similar instances of potential pre-release asset recommendations also extend to Trump’s family.

His son, Eric Trump, acting as “Web3 Ambassador” for the Trump-affiliated World Liberty Financial, had previously posted on X advising followers that, “it’s a wonderful time to add $ETH,” adding, “You can thank me later.”

Subsequently, World Liberty Financial began transferring large portions of its ether (ETH) holdings to the Coinbase exchange.

While Eric Trump later edited his post to remove “thank me later,” the value of ETH has since decreased by 45% from the time of his original post.

Also Read: $100,000 Bitcoin Price Target Revived as Tariff Pause Boosts Market Confidence

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