Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia disclosed that she purchased a substantial amount of stock just before and on the same day that President Donald Trump announced a pause on broad international tariffs—an announcement that triggered a notable stock market rally.
According to public financial disclosures filed with the House of Representatives, Rep. Greene made 21 separate stock purchases on April 8 and 9, totaling between $21,000 and $315,000. The transactions occurred shortly before and after Mr. Trump posted on social media, calling it a “great time to buy,” followed by his announcement that most tariffs would be temporarily paused, with the exception of those on China.
The pause came after a series of aggressive tariff declarations that had rattled markets, leading to sharp declines. Mr. Trump’s shift in tone on April 9 helped markets rebound sharply, creating potential gains for investors who bought in during the dip.
Ms. Greene, a frequent trader in Congress and a close political ally of Mr. Trump, also sold between $50,000 and $100,000 in Treasury bills on April 8, just ahead of the policy shift. She has previously stated that her financial decisions are handled by an investment adviser and that she does not direct individual trades.
The purchases included shares in major technology firms such as Apple and Nvidia, as well as energy and pharmaceutical companies including Devon Energy and Merck. Stocks like Palantir and Advanced Micro Devices, which were among Greene’s acquisitions, saw notable gains in the days following the tariff announcement—rising approximately 19% and 21% respectively.
The timing of these trades has raised questions among Democratic lawmakers, some of whom are calling for further scrutiny. While there is no current evidence of wrongdoing, members of Congress and ethics advocates have expressed concern over the potential for conflicts of interest when lawmakers trade stocks amid policy changes.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, renewed calls to prohibit members of Congress from trading individual stocks, calling the practice “problematic” in light of recent events. Separately, a group of Senate Democrats has urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether any securities laws were violated by individuals with potential foreknowledge of the policy shift.
Ms. Greene’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on whether she had any advance knowledge of Mr. Trump’s tariff decision.
Similar scrutiny has also been directed toward other lawmakers. Representative Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, another active trader and Trump supporter, sold shares in Alibaba—the Chinese e-commerce company—on the same day tariffs on Chinese imports were increased. His office has also stated that a financial adviser manages his investments without input from the congressman.
The episode has reignited debate in Washington over whether lawmakers should be allowed to actively trade stocks at all. Although congressional stock trading is legal, it must be disclosed within 30 to 45 days under the STOCK Act. Transparency advocates argue this system does little to prevent the appearance—or possibility—of insider trading.
With input from the New York Times and Business Insider.
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