Pam Bondi Trump Media stock sale triggers scrutiny after tariff announcement by President Trump- Pam Bondi's Trump Media stock sale is drawing national attention after newly released financial disclosure forms showed she sold between $1 million and $5 million worth of shares in Trump Media on April 2—the same day President Donald Trump held a high-profile press conference announcing new sweeping tariffs. That announcement, made after market close, caused a sharp drop in stock prices over the next several days.

The timing of Bondi’s sale has raised questions, especially given her past involvement with Trump Media and her position as the U.S. Attorney General. While it’s unclear whether her trades occurred before or after the president’s announcement, the overlap has sparked widespread debate over ethics and insider information.

Did Pam Bondi sell Trump Media shares before the market crash?

According to disclosure records reviewed by ProPublica, Bondi sold between $1 million and $5 million in Trump Media shares on April 2. That same evening, President Trump delivered his “Liberation Day” speech from the White House Rose Garden, announcing major tariffs on foreign imports. The market reacted quickly, and Trump Media shares dropped 13% in the following days before bouncing back.

The public filings don’t specify whether Bondi’s sale happened before or after the press conference, making it difficult to confirm whether she acted on public or private information.

Was the Trump Media stock sale linked to insider knowledge?

This is where the situation gets complicated. If Bondi used nonpublic information gained through her role in government to inform her stock decisions, that could potentially fall under insider trading laws. However, legal experts point out that these cases are hard to prove, especially since courts have narrowed the definitions of insider trading in recent years.

What adds weight to the suspicion is that Bondi had a prior role as a consultant for Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC)—the SPAC that merged with Trump Media to take it public. Her financial ties to the company are well documented.

What else did Bondi sell besides Trump Media shares?

Her disclosure forms show that Bondi didn’t just sell common stock. She also sold between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of Trump Media warrants—a type of financial instrument that allows holders to buy stock at a specific price. These details add another layer to the financial maneuver, although again, the forms don’t reveal exact sale times or prices.

On April 2, Trump Media stock closed at $18.76. The next morning, it opened at $17.92, and prices continued to slide. The timing of the transaction matters, but we still don’t know whether Bondi sold before or after the market-moving news.

Was Bondi supposed to sell her shares earlier?

As part of her ethics agreement after becoming Attorney General, Bondi had pledged to divest her Trump Media stake within 90 days of confirmation. That gave her a deadline of early May to sell her holdings, so the April 2 sale technically complies with that requirement.

Interestingly, on April 1, a day before Bondi’s sale, Trump Media filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), listing top shareholders including Trump and Bondi. The filing appeared to reregister shares for sale, although it’s unclear if this move was directly related to Bondi’s transaction the next day.

Has the Justice Department responded to questions?

As of now, the Justice Department has not issued any public response regarding Bondi’s stock sale. With ongoing scrutiny of trading by government officials, this situation will likely continue to receive attention in the coming days.

FAQs:

Q1: Why did Pam Bondi sell Trump Media stock the day President Trump announced tariffs?
She sold up to $5 million in shares hours before the stock dropped following Trump’s tariff news.

Q2: Could Pam Bondi have used insider info to sell Trump Media stock?
It’s uncertain, but the timing of the sale has raised serious ethical questions.