Outlook Business Desk
U.S. President Donald Trump is facing intense scrutiny following Wednesday’s dramatic stock market rebound, sparked in part by two bullish social media posts he made just hours before announcing a pause on a broad set of tariffs.
On April 9, 2025, just hours before the stock market surged, President Trump shared two posts on Truth Social. One post encouraged Americans to invest in the market, including the ticker symbol of his media company, Trump Media (DJT).
Trump’s posts came just minutes before his announcement of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs. Following this, the market saw a massive rebound, with the Nasdaq climbing nearly 12%, the S&P 500 jumping 9.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 8%, or about 2,800 points.
President Trump on his Truth Social account posted, "BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!" It was followed by, "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT."
The surge in the stock market saw a massive $4 trillion in market value being recouped. Trump’s media company surged past major market indices, closing with a 22.67% gain. The rally boosted the value of Trump’s 53% ownership—held in a trust overseen by his son, Donald Trump Jr.—by about $415 million.
The timing of Trump’s posts has sparked criticism. Many argue that his comments may have manipulated the market, with some questioning if he used inside information to time the posts and tariff announcement for personal gain.
It has triggered backlash from Democrats, who are now calling unanimously for an insider trading investigation. They are raise alarms over possible market manipulation by the President.
The White House has defended Trump’s actions. “The Trump administration maintains regular contact with business leaders, industry groups, and everyday Americans, especially about major policy decisions like President Trump’s reciprocal tariff action,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.