U.S. President Donald Trump is at the center of yet another controversy—this time over the stock market. Just hours before he announced a temporary halt on major tariffs, Trump posted two extremely positive messages on his Truth Social account. Those posts, filled with optimism and market advice, came while Wall Street was still shaky from recent losses.

What happened next? The markets skyrocketed—and Democrats are now calling for an insider trading investigation.

“Great Time to Buy!”: Trump’s Posts Hit Before Stocks Took Off

It all started early Wednesday, when Trump posted two messages on his social platform.

“BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!”

That was followed by an even more pointed message, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT.”

That last part—“DJT”—is the ticker symbol for Trump’s own media company, Trump Media & Technology Group.

The results were immediate and dramatic. The Nasdaq jumped nearly 12%, marking its best single-day gain since the 2008 crash. The S&P 500 rose by 9.5%, and the Dow Jones climbed 8%, adding about 2,800 points.

Trump’s own company saw a huge boost—a 22.67% rise—making it one of the top gainers on the day. That spike added roughly $415 million to Trump’s personal stake in the company, which he holds through a trust managed by his son, Donald Trump Jr.

Only one stock—Tesla—barely beat Trump Media in terms of percentage gain, and even then, just by a tiny margin.

Just Hours Later, Trump Paused Tariffs—And That Sent Markets Even Higher

Before Trump posted those messages, investors were nervous. The market had been slipping for several days, with people worried about a possible trade war due to the tariffs Trump had earlier announced.

But just hours after his posts, Trump made a surprise announcement: a 90-day pause on those sweeping tariffs that would have affected multiple countries.

That news sent markets into full rally mode.

Democrats Smell Something Fishy

As soon as the dust settled, Democratic lawmakers began raising red flags.

Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, was the first to speak out publicly. He told TIME magazine he’s determined to look into it, “I’m going to do my best to find out. Family meme coins and all the rest of it are not beyond insider trading or enriching themselves. I hope to find out soon.”

He also brought up the launch of the $TRUMP meme coin, a past controversy where a small group of investors were believed to benefit financially.

More Lawmakers Join In With Questions

Other Democrats quickly joined in. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia said he’s hearing the same questions from everyday people, “When my own barber asks me whether Donald Trump is selling short or doing this to try to make money for himself, it shows that a lot of people are pretty suspicious about what’s going on.”

Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota admitted she hadn’t thought about it at first but said, “It’s a great question. He certainly had a lot to gain.”

Heated Moments in Congress

While all this was going on, there was a tense exchange during a Congressional hearing.

Representative Steven Horsford of Nevada confronted Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, who had just finished defending the tariffs—right before they were paused.

“This is amateur hour. You just got the rug pulled out from under you. This is not a game. This is real life,” Horsford said, demanding answers about whether the market was being manipulated on purpose.

White House and Allies Try to Defend the Move

Some members of Trump’s administration tried to calm the storm.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC that Trump was just being optimistic, “Donald Trump understands that America is the greatest country, all right? We are the greatest country, and we have the capacity for incredible greatness. But someone needs to take the shackles off.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who used to run a hedge fund, said there was strategy behind the tariff pause. According to him, it was about creating space for more “targeted” trade talks with allies.

“The only certainty we can provide is that the US is going to negotiate in good faith,” Bessent said. He also admitted he had discussed the move with Trump before it happened and believed the pause helped “goad China into a bad position.”

Confusion Over Timing Adds Fuel to the Fire

Trump himself gave mixed answers about when he actually made the tariff decision.

First, he said it was decided “this morning,” but later claimed it happened “fairly early this morning.” The White House didn’t clear up the confusion, but spokesperson Kush Desai stood by Trump’s posts, “It is the responsibility of the President of the United States to reassure the markets and Americans about their economic security in the face of nonstop media fearmongering.”

What Happens Next?

Trump didn’t seem too bothered by the backlash. He described the bond market as “beautiful” and said, “You have to be flexible.”

Still, for some lawmakers, the concern isn’t just about the market bounce—it’s about the trust Americans have in their leaders.

“What American businesspeople need is some certainty, some predictability,” Schiff said. “They’re getting anything but. Americans who have seen their retirement savings wiped out need to be made whole.”