According to CNN's investigation, Trump purchased between $200,000 and $500,000 worth of Nvidia shares several days before announcing faster AI permits for the company. The report reveals that Trump's investment accounts have executed over 6,100 stock trades in 2023, with the accounts managed by third-party investment firms. These trades were worth an estimated $220 million to $750 million in the first quarter alone, representing a $100,000-ish shift in a portfolio that trades hundreds of times a week. Viram Shah, Founder and CEO of Vested Finance, notes that this activity is "a rounding error, not a strategy," emphasizing that "nobody sat down and decided to swap one for the other."
The accounts sold between $90,000 and $116,000 in Micron Technology shares while purchasing $246,000 to $3.7 million in Nvidia stock through May 2026, according to disclosures from the US Office of Government Ethics. As reported by Mint, this contrast stands out particularly as Trump publicly praised Micron, calling the chipmaker "one of the HOTTEST anywhere in the World" and celebrating what he described as a "HISTORIC $250 MILLION Investment in TRUMP ACCOUNTS" pledged by CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. Despite the portfolio reduction, Micron shares have surged about 240% this year, making it one of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500. CNN's investigation has linked the timing of these purchases to later public comments involving Tesla, Apple and other major companies.
Micron reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2026 results with revenue jumping 345% to $41.4 billion, driven by memory chip prices that more than doubled due to supply shortages. According to Mint, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra told analysts that Micron has now signed 16 multiyear contracts with customers, strengthening long-term financial performance, margins, and free cash flow expectations. In contrast, Nvidia's stock has gained 1,340% since January 2023, while Micron has risen 1,860% over the same period, with Nvidia trading around $207 and Micron above $900. Analysts indicate memory chip prices will decline once supply meets demand, potentially by 2028.
Responding to CNN's findings, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump does not manage the accounts involved in the transactions, stating that his assets are "held in fully discretionary accounts managed by independent third-party financial institutions." According to Kelly, Trump has previously said that professional fund managers control his investments, separating the timing of the trades from his own actions. However, CNN noted that the arrangement does not meet the requirements of a blind trust, leaving open the possibility that Trump could know what his investment managers are buying or selling. Rep. Rosa DeLauro criticized the transactions, describing the situation as "Profits for him and his billionaire friends, higher prices for you."
Questions over Trump's stock holdings have surfaced as lawmakers debate whether the CLARITY Act should restrict senior government officials from participating in the crypto industry. According to CNN, an ethics provision remains a key point of disagreement in efforts to secure bipartisan support for the market structure bill. Trump's 2025 annual financial disclosure showed he received as much as $1.4 billion from crypto-related activities, with critics in Congress calling for rules that would limit the president's ability to profit from digital assets during his term. When previously questioned about his crypto income, Trump denied knowing the amount he had earned and argued that receiving the income would not be illegal even if he knew about it. The stock investigation is expected to follow Trump into his meeting with senators on the CLARITY Act, with lawmakers yet to resolve whether the bill will include conflict-of-interest restrictions.
