• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
PoliticsDonald Trump

Vice President JD Vance rebuffs question about President Trump’s stock investments, says Trump is so wealthy he doesn’t trade stocks himself

Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 21, 2026, 2:00 AM ET
US Vice President JD Vance.
US Vice President JD Vance.Alex Wroblewski—Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

President Donald Trump is so wealthy he doesn’t need to trade stocks himself, argued Vice President JD Vance, after the President’s ethics report last week revealed a flurry of stock trading in an account held in Trump’s name.

Recommended Video

During an hour-long press conference Tuesday, Vance defended Trump, following criticism that emerged last week about stock trades made by the President’s account during the first quarter. The account made about 3,700 stock trades in the first three months of the year, according to a report by the Office of Government Ethics. In some cases the manager of the account purchased shares from companies that the President subsequently lauded at events or on social media.

Vance rejected the idea that Trump was the one behind these trades or that he has any influence over them. He said that as “a wealthy person” who “has had success in business,” the President can afford to delegate the management of his investments to other people.

“The president doesn’t sit at the Oval Office on his computer, on his like Robinhood account, buying and selling stocks. That’s absurd,” said Vance. “He has independent wealth advisers who manage his money.”

When reached for comment, the White House referred Fortune to the Trump Organization. A spokesperson for the Trump Organization previously told Fortune’s Eva Roytburg that Trump’s investment holdings are operated by third-party financial institutions with “sole and exclusive authority over all investment decisions,” and that trades are executed through “automated investment processes.” The organization did not immediately respond to Fortune’s more recent request for comment. 

President Trump’s stocks have raised questions about his public praise of companies in which he appeared to have recently acquired financial stakes.

Trump praised data analytics company Palantir in a Truth Social post on April 10 in which he included the company’s stock ticker: “Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has great war fighting capabilities and equipment. Just ask our enemies!!!” At the time, the post helped buoy the stock, which was trading down 4.7% before the post and closed out the day about flat. The disclosure last week revealed that Trump’s account bought up Palantir shares at least 10 different times in the first three months of the year in what could have amounted to a maximum investment of $695,000. Trump also sold millions of dollars worth of Palantir shares during the same period.

After Dell founder Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, pledged $6.25 billion to support Trump’s “Invest America” accounts for children under 18, the President praised the computer company and its founder in several public appearances. He first praised Dell at an economic event in Rome, Georgia on February 19, telling the crowd to “go out and buy a Dell computer.” Earlier this month during an event in the White House Rose Garden just before Mother’s Day, Trump again praised Dell: “Go out and buy a Dell. They’re great,” he said. This second mention helped the stock skyrocket 14% to an all-time-high. The disclosure last week revealed Trump’s account in the first quarter of this year bought between $1 million to $5 million of Dell stock, along with at least three other smaller purchases worth tens of thousands of dollars, that taken together could have totaled up to a maximum investment of $5.1 million.

Trump also praised semiconductor company Micron Technology in a Fox News interview in late March where he touted companies building manufacturing plants in the U.S., calling Micron “one of the hottest companies.” The disclosure last week revealed a purchase of between $100,000 and $250,000 in the company, along with two purchases between $50,000 and $100,000, and several other purchases worth tens of thousands of dollars, all in the first quarter of this year, that all told could have totaled up to a maximum investment of $530,000, according to the disclosure.

Trump’s net worth stood at $6.5 billion as of March, according to Forbes.

Vance has previously come out against members of Congress trading stocks. While a candidate for a Senate seat in Ohio in 2022, Vance criticized Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for her stock trading, claiming that Pelosi was “privy to secret information” that she leveraged to enrich herself. 

Under the STOCK Act, passed in 2012 under President Obama, the President, Vice President, and members of Congress are required to disclose stock trades over $1,000 within 45 days of the purchase. The disclosure filed by President Trump last week was designed to comply with the requirements of the STOCK Act. Trump was set to be fined $200, however, for failing to reveal trades of Amazon and Microsoft stock until after the deadline, the Washington Post reported.

Trump in his State of the Union Address in February called for Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act, a bill introduced in the House in January. Critics have said the act contains loopholes that would keep it from preventing lawmakers from trading on non-public information. 

During the press conference Tuesday, Vance said both he and President Trump support banning members of Congress from selling stocks.

“All of us believe that nobody should be taking proprietary information gained from public service and buying and selling stocks,” said Vance. “We want to ban that process.”

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Role: Reporter
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general business news.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

Trump moves the goalposts for NATO after demanding members spend more. ‘We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty’
PoliticsNATO
Trump moves the goalposts for NATO after demanding members spend more. ‘We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty’
By Lorne Cook and The Associated PressJuly 5, 2026
2 hours ago
At July 4 speech, Trump stumps for controversial SAVE America Act, which even some Republicans in Congress are challenging
PoliticsDonald Trump
At July 4 speech, Trump stumps for controversial SAVE America Act, which even some Republicans in Congress are challenging
By Steven Sloan, Michelle L. Price and The Associated PressJuly 5, 2026
2 hours ago
Nancy Pelosi’s husband could face misdemeanor charges after hit-and-run collision in Napa wine country that left one car with ‘major damage’
PoliticsNancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi’s husband could face misdemeanor charges after hit-and-run collision in Napa wine country that left one car with ‘major damage’
By Safiyah Riddle and The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
18 hours ago
Treasury rolls out currency signed by Trump for Fourth of July
PoliticsDonald Trump
Treasury rolls out currency signed by Trump for Fourth of July
By Jeff Mason and BloombergJuly 4, 2026
18 hours ago
Trump allies double down on efforts to reshape Federal Reserve
PoliticsFederal Reserve
Trump allies double down on efforts to reshape Federal Reserve
By Saleha Mohsin, Joshua Green and BloombergJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago
Ukrainian drones target more Russian oil infrastructure as fuel crisis adds political pressure on Putin, who shrugs off attacks as ‘not critical’
EnergyUkraine invasion
Ukrainian drones target more Russian oil infrastructure as fuel crisis adds political pressure on Putin, who shrugs off attacks as ‘not critical’
By The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
AI
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
Success
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
Economy
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
A quarter of young baby boomers and Gen Xers who’ve been laid off in the last decade are still unemployed—and 11% have taken pay cuts to work
Success
A quarter of young baby boomers and Gen Xers who’ve been laid off in the last decade are still unemployed—and 11% have taken pay cuts to work
By Emma BurleighJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.