Matthew Chapman
July 1, 2026
President Donald Trump's stock trades have raised red flags with legal observers numerous times — but there's a new revelation from the president's more than 900-page financial disclosure this week that shows something especially alarming, MS NOW's Jen Psaki said on Wednesday evening.
Specifically, stock purchases timed to some of Trump's most controversial tariff policies, later struck down by the Supreme Court, recontextualize the whole reason he may have enacted and adjusted these tax policies when he did.
"Do you remember last year, when Trump announced his massive across-the-board tariffs ... he called it Liberation Day?" said Psaki, a former White House press secretary. "It actually led to a stock market crash. That Liberation Day announcement was on April 2 last year, and Trump's financial disclosures show that he made 327 stock purchases 6 days later on April 8, while the stock market was down."
Those trades, noted Psaki, "vary in size from the ones of $15,000 range all the way up to the $100,000 to $250,000 range" — representing massive amounts of money in total.
"The next morning, just after the market opened, he told his followers on Truth Social quote, 'THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!' in all caps, obviously," said Psaki. Then, just "hours" after that post, he announced a "pause" on the tariffs, "and the stock market had a historic rally, so historic in fact, it represented the biggest single day gain in the history of the Bloomberg Billionaires' Index."
Trump was asked about these trades at the time, noted Psaki, and said, "I'm profiting because the stock market is going up, everybody's profiting."
The worst part, said Psaki, is that that is just the "tip of the iceberg," as it still pales in comparison to the sheer magnitude of profit the Trump family is making off of poorly-regulated cryptocurrency ventures.
Nobel winner warns 'extremely destructive' Trump grifts are breaking the economy
Matthew Chapman
July 1, 2026
U..S. President Donald Trump speaks at the site of ongoing construction of the planned White House ballroom in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump and his family's self-enrichment schemes, which stand to net them $1.4 billion in crypto profits alone, are more than a moral issue, Nobel Prize-winning economist-turned-political pundit Paul Krugman told MS NOW's Ari Melber on Wednesday — they're an active threat to the U.S. economy.
"We talked earlier in the program about what is wrong with Trump's corruption, how it also violates his own claims and past vows," said Melber. "I thought I would start by asking you in plain English, as an economist, what is the cost to the rest of us, the public, if the government is corrupt or captured, separate from the morality?"
Krugman used the analogy of the infamous Philippine autocrat Ferdinand Marcos and his "crony capitalism scheme" that decimated that country's economy
"My parents' generation used to say, 'It's not what you know, it's who you know,'" said Krugman. "In other words, Trump has created a situation in which "success in business depends on having the right connections and having the favor of the leader, supreme leader, whatever."
This state of affairs, he said, is "extremely destructive."
"It does mean that all of the incentives on business are to curry favor, not to actually be good," said Krugman. "Especially that if what it takes to curry favor is just who is best at funneling money to the president's family and his friends." This is a massive departure from what actually makes the U.S. economy work, he said, which is that "we rewarded actual productivity, we rewarded creation of actual value, as opposed to just making the White House happy."
Matthew Chapman
July 1, 2026
RAW STORY
U..S. President Donald Trump speaks at the site of ongoing construction of the planned White House ballroom in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump and his family's self-enrichment schemes, which stand to net them $1.4 billion in crypto profits alone, are more than a moral issue, Nobel Prize-winning economist-turned-political pundit Paul Krugman told MS NOW's Ari Melber on Wednesday — they're an active threat to the U.S. economy.
"We talked earlier in the program about what is wrong with Trump's corruption, how it also violates his own claims and past vows," said Melber. "I thought I would start by asking you in plain English, as an economist, what is the cost to the rest of us, the public, if the government is corrupt or captured, separate from the morality?"
Krugman used the analogy of the infamous Philippine autocrat Ferdinand Marcos and his "crony capitalism scheme" that decimated that country's economy
"My parents' generation used to say, 'It's not what you know, it's who you know,'" said Krugman. "In other words, Trump has created a situation in which "success in business depends on having the right connections and having the favor of the leader, supreme leader, whatever."
This state of affairs, he said, is "extremely destructive."
"It does mean that all of the incentives on business are to curry favor, not to actually be good," said Krugman. "Especially that if what it takes to curry favor is just who is best at funneling money to the president's family and his friends." This is a massive departure from what actually makes the U.S. economy work, he said, which is that "we rewarded actual productivity, we rewarded creation of actual value, as opposed to just making the White House happy."
Anderson Cooper throws Trump's past corruption claims back in his face in searing montage
Bennito L. Kelty
July 1, 2026
Bennito L. Kelty
July 1, 2026
RAW ST0RY
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he tours the VC-25B aircraft gifted by Qatar that will be used as Air Force One, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper called out Trump's acceptance of luxurious gifts with a montage showing his past comments.
Cooper was doing a segment about Trump's jet that was gifted to him by Qatar while also bringing up more recent revelations of enrichment by Trump and his family through foreign deals, including in Kazakhstan and through his crypto ventures.
However, Cooper made a point about Trump's hypocrisy by playing a video from his 2016 debate with former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
"I seem to recall him once having very strong feelings about accepting foreign gifts," Cooper said before cutting to a clip where Trump attacks Clinton. Trump talks about "Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all these countries" giving gifts to Clinton.
"You talk about women and women's rights," Trump said in the clip. "These are people that push gays off buildings, these are people that kill women and treat women horribly, and yet you take their money."
Trump then asked Clinton, "Why don't you give back the money that you've taken from certain countries that treat certain groups of people so horribly?"
Cooper noted the irony that Trump was "so offended" by million-dollar donations to Clinton while she was Obama's secretary of state.
"It certainly did not look good, and then-candidate Trump knew it," Cooper said. "He knew that even the appearance of impropriety matters. What's more, he seemed to understand back then that gifts to public servants do not come with no strings attached."
Cooper then played a clip of Trump bragging, "I give to many people," and "I give to everybody. When they call, I give, and you know what? When I need something from them two or three years later, I call them, and they are there for me."
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he tours the VC-25B aircraft gifted by Qatar that will be used as Air Force One, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper called out Trump's acceptance of luxurious gifts with a montage showing his past comments.
Cooper was doing a segment about Trump's jet that was gifted to him by Qatar while also bringing up more recent revelations of enrichment by Trump and his family through foreign deals, including in Kazakhstan and through his crypto ventures.
However, Cooper made a point about Trump's hypocrisy by playing a video from his 2016 debate with former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
"I seem to recall him once having very strong feelings about accepting foreign gifts," Cooper said before cutting to a clip where Trump attacks Clinton. Trump talks about "Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all these countries" giving gifts to Clinton.
"You talk about women and women's rights," Trump said in the clip. "These are people that push gays off buildings, these are people that kill women and treat women horribly, and yet you take their money."
Trump then asked Clinton, "Why don't you give back the money that you've taken from certain countries that treat certain groups of people so horribly?"
Cooper noted the irony that Trump was "so offended" by million-dollar donations to Clinton while she was Obama's secretary of state.
"It certainly did not look good, and then-candidate Trump knew it," Cooper said. "He knew that even the appearance of impropriety matters. What's more, he seemed to understand back then that gifts to public servants do not come with no strings attached."
Cooper then played a clip of Trump bragging, "I give to many people," and "I give to everybody. When they call, I give, and you know what? When I need something from them two or three years later, I call them, and they are there for me."
'Mind-boggling': Historian flags striking irony of Trump's first trip in Qatari jet
Robert Davis
July 1, 2026
RAW ST0RY
U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by the Qatari government, as he arrives at Bismarck Municipal Airport in Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
A prominent presidential historian flagged a striking irony behind President Donald Trump's first trip in his Qatari jet on Wednesday.
Last year, Trump was gifted a jet worth more than $400 million by the Qataris, which was subsequently renovated from tip to tail using American taxpayer money. Trump took the plane out for a spin on Wednesday, flying to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a move that raised several red flags for historian Douglas Brinkley.
"I don't know what American can applaud the idea of [Qatar] gifting a plane like this to Donald Trump, and having it at the presidential library. So it really does feel like the White House has a for-sale sign and that you can, you can influence pedal," he told CNN's Anderson Cooper on "AC360."
Brinkley noted it was ironic for Trump to use the jet for such an occasion, given that Roosevelt was a fierce anti-corruption advocate while he was in office.
Trump, on the other hand, has seemed to embrace corruption as reports indicate he has profited greatly from his position, Brinkley argued.
"We can't just sweep this under the rug," Brinkley said. "The American citizens have to know how he earned that $2 billion and really talk about it because the crypto part of this, to me, is mind-boggling how he can be playing these games with it."
Robert Davis
July 1, 2026
RAW ST0RY
U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by the Qatari government, as he arrives at Bismarck Municipal Airport in Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
A prominent presidential historian flagged a striking irony behind President Donald Trump's first trip in his Qatari jet on Wednesday.
Last year, Trump was gifted a jet worth more than $400 million by the Qataris, which was subsequently renovated from tip to tail using American taxpayer money. Trump took the plane out for a spin on Wednesday, flying to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a move that raised several red flags for historian Douglas Brinkley.
"I don't know what American can applaud the idea of [Qatar] gifting a plane like this to Donald Trump, and having it at the presidential library. So it really does feel like the White House has a for-sale sign and that you can, you can influence pedal," he told CNN's Anderson Cooper on "AC360."
Brinkley noted it was ironic for Trump to use the jet for such an occasion, given that Roosevelt was a fierce anti-corruption advocate while he was in office.
Trump, on the other hand, has seemed to embrace corruption as reports indicate he has profited greatly from his position, Brinkley argued.
"We can't just sweep this under the rug," Brinkley said. "The American citizens have to know how he earned that $2 billion and really talk about it because the crypto part of this, to me, is mind-boggling how he can be playing these games with it."
CNN host instantly busts Trump's money claim by pointing out who's right behind him
Travis Gettys
July 1, 2026
Travis Gettys
July 1, 2026
RAW STORY
Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Bettina Trump and President Donald Trump/CNN
CNN's John Berman immediately fact-checked a claim by President Donald Trump about his business dealings.
The 80-year-old president was asked Wednesday morning, as he prepared to board a nearly $400 million luxury jet given to him by Qatar, about recent financial disclosures showing that he had raked in $2.2 billion since returning to office, and Trump insisted he had little to do with his own investments.
"You know, I don't get involved in my personal, we have funds that run my money," Trump told reporters on the tarmac. "Well, I've made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money in. I don't talk to them; I never, I do not even speak to them. So I have many people – I don't know what they call it, closed accounts or something. You put your money in, and that said, I don't talk to them. They're big institutions, and they run it."
"But, yeah, I've had a great career in business, I've had a great career," he added. "I don't know if I've had a better career in politics or business, but I had a great career in business and, you know, you saw the cash and you report the different things, and what they do is we gave it, I think it's called a blind account, but they basically they take it, and I purposely, I never speak to any of the people that run the money. But they're big institutions, and they invest in whatever they invest."
The White House has repeatedly emphasized that Trump has placed his businesses in a blind trust managed by his sons, and the "CNN News Central" host pointed out that both of them – Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump – were traveling to North Dakota with their father.
"The president was also asked about reports that he's made an enormous amount of money since being in office from new financial disclosures," Berman said. "The president said he doesn't know anything about it; it's all handled by private people. But he said it with his two sons standing right behind him, two people who were actually involved with that money. He said, yeah, I don't ever talk to the people who do anything with this money. The two sons right behind him, they were right there."
Berman later wondered whether the Trump sons would ever be called to testify about their business dealings if Democrats win back a congressional majority.
"The president said he hasn't talked to the people who handle his money," Berman said. "Again, his two sons were standing directly behind him when he said that."
Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Bettina Trump and President Donald Trump/CNN
CNN's John Berman immediately fact-checked a claim by President Donald Trump about his business dealings.
The 80-year-old president was asked Wednesday morning, as he prepared to board a nearly $400 million luxury jet given to him by Qatar, about recent financial disclosures showing that he had raked in $2.2 billion since returning to office, and Trump insisted he had little to do with his own investments.
"You know, I don't get involved in my personal, we have funds that run my money," Trump told reporters on the tarmac. "Well, I've made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money in. I don't talk to them; I never, I do not even speak to them. So I have many people – I don't know what they call it, closed accounts or something. You put your money in, and that said, I don't talk to them. They're big institutions, and they run it."
"But, yeah, I've had a great career in business, I've had a great career," he added. "I don't know if I've had a better career in politics or business, but I had a great career in business and, you know, you saw the cash and you report the different things, and what they do is we gave it, I think it's called a blind account, but they basically they take it, and I purposely, I never speak to any of the people that run the money. But they're big institutions, and they invest in whatever they invest."
The White House has repeatedly emphasized that Trump has placed his businesses in a blind trust managed by his sons, and the "CNN News Central" host pointed out that both of them – Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump – were traveling to North Dakota with their father.
"The president was also asked about reports that he's made an enormous amount of money since being in office from new financial disclosures," Berman said. "The president said he doesn't know anything about it; it's all handled by private people. But he said it with his two sons standing right behind him, two people who were actually involved with that money. He said, yeah, I don't ever talk to the people who do anything with this money. The two sons right behind him, they were right there."
Berman later wondered whether the Trump sons would ever be called to testify about their business dealings if Democrats win back a congressional majority.
"The president said he hasn't talked to the people who handle his money," Berman said. "Again, his two sons were standing directly behind him when he said that."
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