Lawmakers Seek Investigation of Suspicious Spike in Stock Options Trading Minutes Before President’s Tariff Announcement | The New York Sun

Suspicious Stock Trades

A surge in call option purchases before President Trump's announcement of a 90-day tariff reduction has sparked concerns about potential insider trading. One investor saw a 2,100% return.

Lawmakers' Calls for Investigation

Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senators Schiff and Gallego, are demanding investigations into the suspicious trading activity. They suspect that someone had advance knowledge of the tariff policy change.

• Senator Schiff and Senator Gallego sent a letter to the White House requesting an inquiry into whether President Trump, his family, or administration officials engaged in insider trading.
• Representative Ocasio-Cortez called for disclosure of stock trades made by members of Congress in the preceding 48 hours.

Trump's Announcements

President Trump's social media post urging people to buy stocks hours before the announcement is raising eyebrows. The timing of the post and announcement is a focal point of the investigation.

Lack of Transparency

The article highlights the confusion and lack of transparency surrounding the tariff decision within the administration. Key officials such as the trade representative and deputy treasury secretary seemed unaware of the tariff pause.

Possible Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the FBI typically handle such investigations. While the identities of the traders are unknown, the possibility of illicit activity is being taken seriously, with comparisons drawn to previous investigations involving alleged insider trading by senators.