On Monday morning, CNBC anchor and New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin issued a bombshell challenge to the Securities and Exchange Commission: investigate whether officials in Donald Trump’s administration cashed in on insider knowledge of the president’s global tariff blitz.
“I hate to speculate,” Sorkin said live on Squawk Box, “but given what this administration has been doing, it would not shock me if we found out elected officials dumped stocks—or worse, shorted the market—before Trump’s tariff announcement.”
The tariffs, part of what Trump branded “Liberation Day,” blindsided investors last week and triggered the worst market dive since early COVID-19 panic in 2020. Major U.S. exchanges nosedived, banks revised recession forecasts upward, and everyday Americans saw their 401(k)s take a hit.
Now, Sorkin and others are demanding to know: Who knew what—and when?
Trump’s Trade Chaos Spurs Talk of Corruption
Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, Germany, and even U.S. allies like Canada and South Korea sent economic shockwaves across the globe. But before the announcement, trading patterns in key sectors raised eyebrows on Wall Street.
Industrials. Autos. Semiconductors. All saw sudden, unexplained moves just before the tariffs were made public.
That’s what led Sorkin to confront Mark Uyeda, the Trump-appointed acting chairman of the SEC, during Monday’s broadcast.
“If somebody had access to the tariff plan ahead of time and sold off their stocks, or shorted the market,” Sorkin asked, “would that count as insider trading?”
Uyeda didn’t dodge. “It potentially could,” he admitted.
He added that the SEC’s insider trading laws apply to anyone—even government insiders. “If those elements are satisfied,” Uyeda said, “they can be subject to insider trading liability.”
But critics were quick to note that Uyeda was elevated to the chairmanship by Trump himself in January. His commitment to an impartial investigation will be tested.
History Repeating Itself?
This isn’t the first time Trump officials have faced accusations of profiting off confidential government plans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several senators were caught dumping stocks after classified briefings. While some investigations were quietly closed, the scandal helped fuel public outrage over political corruption.
Democrats on the Hill are now watching closely.
“It’s déjà vu all over again,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in a statement Tuesday. “If anyone in Trump’s administration traded on confidential information, they must be investigated. Period. No one is above the law—not even the people writing it.”
What Comes Next
As Trump’s economic chaos deepens, watchdog groups are urging Congress and the SEC to launch a full investigation into pre-tariff trading.
“This is textbook insider trading if it happened,” said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president at Public Citizen. “It’s not just unethical. It’s criminal.”
Meanwhile, Trump remains defiant, declaring on Truth Social that his tariffs will “revive American greatness and crush the globalists.”
But for many Americans whose portfolios just tanked, that promise rings hollow—especially if it turns out Trump’s inner circle got rich while the rest of the country took the hit.
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Investigate all of Trump’s team to see if they indeed did some insider trading before the tarrifis went into effect. Bet many, many of them unloaded and dumped, and Vice versa. Investigate Mr. Trump and his team, Everyone else gets zapped, so should they. Fair is fair
OMG! Just because Pelosi and other swamp creatures are guilty you have to go after President Trump for it. Really getting old. I am finding out that those who are yelling the most right now, are the ones getting their piggy bank shut down. The same piggy bank my social security was in. Just how much of your paycheck actually come from my taxpayer money? Wonder why Newsmax is going steam by your viewers. I have watched nothing but the real news channel for eight years. Now more of your viewers are watching the truth also. Real journalists telling the truth. No lies, no bias and they do their job. So your narrative by legacy media is so old. Time you people live in the real world. Lies, hatred and stupidity is something we real Americans don’t tolerate. You don’t realize democrats have already lost 2026 and possibly 2028 over stupidity. Ones protesting all that President Trump does only shows me who is guilty of stealing my taxpayer dollars from me. Swamps and their puppets they pay now will have to be accountable for all the money they stole from Americans. Time you all understand those of us real Americans are sick of all you anti-Americans. We believe in the very values you despise. You don’t get it like President Trump does. All I can say is like the rino’s in swamp in 2026, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Americans have been shown the truth and it won’t fair well for swamp creatures. Now voter ID gaining steam no more election rigging to save your jobs. I seen what actually happened in 2020 and find it pathetic by swamp. You all just are mad because your gravy train is gone. Now time for you to find a real job. No more living rich off our money. Americas reset is beginning. Swamp creatures enjoy your down fall.
inv. them ALL. reps, dems & ind. members all catch wind of stuff. and include ALL of trump’s family. we know kushner’s greed.