In a political climate where stock trades by public officials are drawing more scrutiny than ever, one high-profile trade is turning heads—this time, it’s Attorney General Pam Bondi making headlines.
Bondi, a familiar figure in conservative politics and a known Trump ally, sold off a massive chunk of stock—somewhere between $1 million and $5 million worth—on the very same day former President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new tariff policy.
Tied to Trump’s Own Company
What adds a layer of intrigue? The stock wasn’t in just any company—it was Trump’s own media firm, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (TMTG), which runs the Truth Social platform.
According to federal financial disclosure forms, Bondi unloaded the shares on April 2, the day Trump introduced a blanket 10% tariff on all U.S. trading partners and hinted at steeper “reciprocal” tariffs for specific nations.
Interestingly, that announcement didn’t come until after the markets had closed—raising the question of whether Bondi made her move before or after the public was made aware.
The exact timing of her trade isn’t specified in the disclosure, leaving room for speculation.
Selling Low—and Missing a Rebound
At the time of the sale, Trump Media’s stock was at a low point—about $18 per share.
That’s significantly down from its early January high of $40.
Just after the tariff announcement (dubbed “Liberation Day” by Trump), the price dropped even further to around $16.60 before bouncing back and climbing to $25 by Thursday morning.
In hindsight, Bondi may have mistimed her sale. The stock has jumped by roughly 36% since she sold.
Despite that, the move wasn’t financially savvy—but it was necessary.
Required by Ethics—But Still Drawing Criticism
Bondi didn’t sell her stock out of panic or strategy—she was following ethics rules.
As a Cabinet member, she had a 90-day window to divest herself from potential conflicts of interest after assuming office.
She simply completed the sale about a month before the deadline.
Still, that didn’t stop the backlash online. Critics like political commentator Ed Krassenstein took to X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that the sale was yet another example of Trump-world ethics issues.
“The timing raises serious ethical questions,” he posted.
Others, however, defended Bondi, pointing out that she actually lost money on the deal rather than profiting.
The Bigger Picture: Cracking Down on Political Stock Trades
Bondi’s trade is just the latest flashpoint in a growing movement to ban lawmakers and top officials from trading stocks altogether.
Trump himself has said he’d “absolutely” sign a bill banning stock trades by members of Congress if one reaches his desk.
Speaker Mike Johnson also recently voiced support for the idea, saying the House “probably should” move on it.
Multiple bills aiming to clamp down on these trades have already been introduced in both chambers of Congress, though when or if any of them will make it to a vote remains uncertain.
No Comment from the DOJ
For now, the Department of Justice has remained silent on the matter, declining to respond to inquiries from the Daily Mail.
Bondi isn’t facing any formal accusations of wrongdoing—but as stock trading continues to be a political hot button, her name has now been added to a growing list of officials whose financial moves are being watched very closely.