Trump Profits from Stock Trades in Companies with Federal Contracts Amid Ethics Concerns

Donald Trump’s financial disclosures have revealed a pattern of stock trades in tech companies and government contractors, raising serious ethical concerns about potential conflicts of interest. According to a report by NOTUS on Friday, February 13, the president has made millions from these transactions.

Trump’s Nvidia Investments and Regulatory Approvals

On February 10, 2026, Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Nvidia, a leading AI chip manufacturer. Just a week later, Nvidia announced a major deal with Meta to provide advanced computer processing power. This transaction followed Trump’s earlier investments in Nvidia, including a purchase of $500,000 to $1 million on January 6, 2026, after the company secured approval from the U.S. Commerce Department to sell its H200 chips to China.

Following a meeting between Trump and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in China, the Commerce Department approved 10 Chinese firms to purchase Nvidia’s AI chips, further benefiting the company’s financial outlook. These regulatory moves coincided with Trump’s stock purchases, allowing him to profit from the company’s growth.

AMD and Palantir: Another Round of Profitable Trades

On the same day as his Nvidia investment, January 6, 2026, Trump also purchased $50,000 to $100,000 worth of stock in AMD, another AI semiconductor company. Within a week, AMD received authorization to sell its chips to Chinese customers, aligning with Trump’s financial interests.

In the first quarter of 2026, Trump invested at least $740,000 in AMD stock. Additionally, he purchased at least $260,000 worth of stock in Palantir, a private defense contractor with significant government contracts and ties to the Trump administration.

Trump’s Palantir transactions included:

• A purchase of $65,000 to $150,000 in January 2026, followed by a sale of $1.1 million to $5.3 million in February 2026.
• A March 2026 purchase of $200,000 to $500,000 in Palantir stock.

These trades coincided with major developments for Palantir, including a $1 billion contract with the Department of Homeland Security in February 2026 to support Trump’s deportation policies. In May 2026, Palantir secured another major federal contract.

Public Calls for Market Manipulation

In an apparent effort to influence Palantir’s stock price, Trump publicly urged his followers to buy the company’s stock in a May 2026 social media post, even including the stock’s ticker symbol. This action raised concerns about potential market manipulation.

Record-Breaking Financial Activity in 2026

Trump’s May 14, 2026 financial disclosure revealed a significant shift in his investment strategy. He made over 3,600 individual stock and financial trades in the first three months of 2026, moving away from his previous focus on corporate and municipal bonds.

White House Response and Public Outrage

"The White House stated that Trump and his family were not responsible for their investments, nor were they notified of the trades."

Critics argue that Trump’s ability to profit from companies he regulates represents a clear conflict of interest and an abuse of power. The president has faced repeated allegations of using his office for personal financial gain, including through schemes tied to the Oval Office.

Ethics experts and lawmakers have condemned the lack of accountability, calling for stricter regulations to prevent such conflicts of interest in government.