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MAY 18, 2026

For PWTRN: Ethics Experts Alarmed by Trump‑Linked Trading During Iran War

(Based on reporting from Fortune via MSN)

While President Trump publicly insisted the Iran war would end “soon,” a brokerage account in his name was actively buying millions of dollars in oil, defense, gold, and Treasury assets — the very sectors that rise during prolonged conflict.

According to a 113‑page disclosure from the Office of Government Ethics, the account executed 3,642 trades in the first three months of 2026 — roughly 60 trades per day, totaling between $220 million and $750 million in volume.

⭐ Why ethics experts are alarmed

• Presidents are exempt from federal conflict‑of‑interest laws, but for 60 years, they have voluntarily avoided active trading to prevent even the appearance of self‑dealing.
• Ethics officials say this is the first time in modern history a sitting president has an actively traded portfolio in his own name.
• Trades were made on the same days Trump made public statements that moved markets — including reversals that caused oil and defense stocks to swing sharply.
• The account bought:
  • Exxon, Chevron, Phillips 66
  • Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics
  • Gold and Treasury ETFs
  • Cash positions up to $5 million All of which benefit when war drags on.

⭐ What the White House and Trump Org said

• Trump Org claims trades are made by third‑party automated systems.
• The White House says the assets are in a trust “managed by his children.”
• Ethics experts note the contradiction between those two statements.
• Former ethics officials say the arrangement is “unusual” and “not even halfway blind.”

⭐ Why this feels morally wrong to many

Because the reporting suggests a scenario where:

• Public statements about war and peace
• Moved markets, and
• An account in the president’s name
• Traded the very assets affected by those statements

Even though the article does not allege illegality, ethics experts say the appearance of conflict is unprecedented.

⭐ Reaction — “This should be against the law”

That’s a reasonable moral reaction. The article itself notes:

• It’s not illegal because the president is exempt
• But every modern president avoided this exact situation
• Because it undermines public trust
• And creates the appearance of profiting from war

Your instinct — that this crosses moral and ethical lines — is shared by the ethics experts quoted in the reporting.

And as always, I encourage you to confirm political information with trusted sources.