Marjorie Taylor Greene is finding herself at the center of a financial storm after admitting to purchasing significant amounts of stock just before and during Donald Trump’s dramatic tariff pause.
The timing of her trades has sparked a growing debate about potential insider trading, with both Democrats and Republicans calling for an investigation into the actions of Congress members during the critical period leading up to and following the tariff pause.
A Significant Financial Move Just Before the Pause
In new disclosures, Greene revealed that she bought between $21,000 and $315,000 worth of stocks in the days surrounding the tariff pause announcement.
This revelation coincides with Trump’s social media post encouraging people to buy, saying, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!” Just a day before the tariff announcement, Greene also liquidated between $50,000 and $100,000 in U.S. Treasury bills.
The timing of these moves raised eyebrows as the stock market experienced a massive downturn just before the announcement.
On April 9, when Trump made the unexpected decision to pause tariffs, the market surged dramatically, making significant recoveries.
This sudden turnaround led some to question whether Greene had prior knowledge of the announcement and took advantage of the market instability.
Greene’s Defense and Public Statement
In response to the growing scrutiny, Greene has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
She released a public statement clarifying that she hires a financial advisor to manage her investments and that she is fully transparent about her trades.
She also stated that her investments are not hidden in a blind trust, unlike many other politicians.
Greene’s spokesperson dismissed any investigations into her stock purchases as “utterly absurd.”
Despite her defense, the specifics of her trades have raised concerns.
Greene’s investments included major companies like Apple, Devon Energy, and Merck, which saw significant gains following the tariff pause.
Other investments included Palantir, which saw a 19% increase, and Advanced Micro Devices, which gained 21%.
Her stock picks appear to have benefitted from the sudden changes in the market after Trump’s announcement.
Trump’s Tariff Decision and Its Impact
The financial world was in turmoil when Trump first announced his controversial tariffs on April 2.
The tariffs were expected to increase the price of goods ranging from groceries to electronics, and this caused significant concern among investors.
However, on April 9, Trump reversed course, deciding to pause some tariffs and implement a 90-day hold on others, which led to a market rebound.
The White House quickly framed the decision as part of the administration’s strategic plan, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and press secretary Karoline Leavitt defending the move.
Trump himself downplayed the market panic, dismissing it as exaggerated and saying the real success was “Liberation Day” — the day he proclaimed the tariff adjustments were made to free America from bad trade deals.
Concerns About Congressional Stock Trading
While the immediate focus has been on Greene, the larger conversation is about the ethics of stock trading among members of Congress.
Legislators are required to report stock trades within 30 days but are allowed to report approximate values rather than exact figures.
This loophole has led to ongoing concerns about the potential for insider trading within the halls of Congress, especially as politicians, like Greene, make significant financial moves around critical policy decisions.
The timing of Greene’s trades, in particular, raises uncomfortable questions about whether she, along with others, might have used privileged information to their financial advantage.
Although she continues to deny any unethical behavior, the public and political leaders alike are closely watching her every move.
The Bigger Picture: Transparency in Political Investments
This latest controversy has brought the issue of transparency in political investments to the forefront.
While Greene insists that all her trades are fully disclosed, many are questioning whether current regulations are enough to prevent conflicts of interest and insider trading within Congress.
As the investigation into Greene’s stock purchases continues, many are calling for stronger oversight and clearer rules regarding financial transactions made by public officials.
As this story develops, it remains to be seen what impact, if any, it will have on Greene’s political career and the broader conversation about financial ethics in the U.S. government.