r/stocks • u/RevolutionaryMany831 • 3d ago

Rule 3: Low Effort Is it possible that Trump’s tariffs are a massive pump and dump scheme?

EDIT: I’m not an investor, just asking a question.

Trump controls the SEC and DOJ, so who’s going to investigate or stop him?

Is it possible that Trump, his family, and billionaire buddies are benefiting from Trump’s tariffs?

Trump could be letting them know the date and time that he’s going to make the announcement to impose tariffs. Like many investors, they pull their investments but, they have a head start due to their insider knowledge.

Then he lets those on the inside know that he’s going to rescind tariffs and the date and time which he will be announcing that.

They buy the dip and profit as the market rebounds.

Rinse and repeat.

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u/Suspicious-Town-7688 3d ago

He’s more likely to be taking backhanders for allowing companies, countries and industries to have tariff reductions or exemptions.

Also any bribes he does take do not have to be overt direct bribes. They might just be offers to take shares in DJT at a good price, or invest in Trump coin.

To my mind he’s been setting himself up very nicely to be bribed in seemingly legitimate ways.

And even in the worst case and you got caught bribing him - well, what else are pardons for?

And didn’t he set the tone, by making it legal for Americans to pay bribes to foreigners as one of the first things he did.

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u/epiphanette 2d ago

They might just be offers to take shares in DJT at a good price, or invest in Trump coin.

Or jack newsmax to the moon

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u/Miserable_Rube 2d ago

NMAX was a pump and dump that they profited from on day one.

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u/RockerElvis 2d ago

Exactly correct. This is so that he can pick winners based on what they do for him.

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u/Visinvictus 2d ago

I don't really understand why he would take bribes when he could easily make billions manipulating the market. He could have just bought a shit ton of puts on the most affected companies, wait a couple of weeks, buy calls and rescind tariffs. It would have been a license to print money knowing exactly when and what he is doing in advance. I guess the catch is that you need to have an intelligence level higher than a 5th grader to pull it off.

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u/hecubus04 2d ago

He gets some kind of orgasmic dopamine hit when someone like Bezos or Zuckerberg grovel before him. It's what he has wanted his whole life, to be the alpha male of the whole universe.

You could tell him he could A) make 1 billion dollars quietly manipulating the stock market, with no fear of any repercussions because the supreme Court has made him immune from all things OR B) the richest most powerful men in the world must all kowtow before him, and kiss his ring, and they just invest a few million into his shit coins or stupid hotels and he will pick B every time.

It is the only thing that comes close to emotional satisfaction in his empty, hollow, reptile narcissist brain.

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u/kosmonautinVT 2d ago

Why not both?

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u/Bronkko 2d ago

they def shorted

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u/PublicCraft3114 2d ago

Because he loves people stroking his ego and he likes lording over people. The bribes allow people to scratch that itch. It's more personal than gamin the financial system. Not that he isn't probably doing both.

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u/jackiel1975 2d ago

I personally think it’s more about cementing power, through the dispensation of exemptions and favored status, so long as they kiss the ring and lick the boot. Look at what they are doing to law firms, universities, the press. They are using whatever levers they can to force acquiescence to their Christian nationalist agenda and what is a more powerful lever than money (ok besides the threat of getting disappeared to a foreign black site) ? It’s fascism. The State wants total control, including over the Corporations.

But I also agree with everyone else who says it’s because he’s very, very, deeply impaired. I do think that’s a huge part of it, his lack of comprehension of history, trade, economics, negotiation, ad infinitum. I didn’t say they were smart fascists. Thank gawd, that’s literally the only thing that gives me ANY comfort right now is how breathtakingly incompetent they all are.

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u/weird-chicken 1d ago

America was founded as a Christian nation. 9 out of 13 of the original states had in their constitutions that you had to be a practicing Christian to hold govenemtn positions. We need to go back to our roots to fix the damage done to America by the commies

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u/breadstan 1d ago

Dude don’t need money. He lived for power, legacy and attention. Whatever he needs, with a word of mouth, he could easily get enough to last him 2 lifetime worth. You will have people lining up to lick his shoe while stuffing gold up his butt (see Mark Zuckerberg).

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u/duhrZerker 2d ago

I’m sure the Saudis are already writing another $2 billion check to his son-in-law.

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u/FrenchFryCattaneo 2d ago

Has he done that though? Created exemptions for companies?

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u/FancyPantsMacGee 2d ago

Doesn’t even need a pardon. Any crime a sitting president does isn’t able to be prosecuted thanks to Justice Roberts.

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u/N2ITIVE_THROWAWAY 2d ago

Interesting. Didn't he put Truth Social up for sell this week. That tracks with what you are saying.

Edit: I'll googled it, it's actually opening up $2.3 Billion in stock to be sold. So that's even more in line, since a wholesale would only benefit the highest bidder.

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u/Real-Mouse-554 2d ago

He is already accepting bribes out in the open.

You can buy time with him and has been handing out pardons to his campaign donors. The biggest bribe of them all is Musks campaign donation, and him being allowed to gut every agency that oversees his companies.