During Trump's presidency, a $104 million bond-purchasing campaign commences

In a recent development, President Donald Trump has made over 690 transactions this year through early August, totalling at least $103.7 million. This information is outlined in a financial disclosure report, which also reveals that Trump has not divested any assets that may pose conflicts of interest, as required by federal ethics law.

The report, dated Aug. 12 and provided to the Office of Government Ethics, discloses a variety of transactions involving stocks, bonds, commodity futures, and other securities. However, it does not provide exact amounts or prices for the transactions, only offering broad ranges.

Among the investments disclosed are bonds sold by US companies that have been affected by federal policies championed by Trump, such as Qualcomm Inc., Home Depot, T-Mobile US Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook). Trump's business empire, which includes properties like Mar-a-Lago and crypto ventures, has also added at least $620 million to his fortune in recent months.

Interestingly, Trump's first transaction was made the day after his inauguration, and he has continued to accumulate wealth throughout his presidency. The White House did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the matter.

Trump has also met with technology industry executives and leaders of businesses whose supply chains have been affected by his implementation of high tariffs. Furthermore, he financially supported companies from January to August this year by purchasing bonds of banks Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, as well as Meta (Facebook's parent company) and T-Mobile US.

Later in the year, Trump bought corporate debt in amounts greater than $250,000 from Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook). He also bought tranches of at least $500,000 each from Qualcomm Inc., Home Depot, T-Mobile US Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc. The transactions also include municipal bonds issued by local governments, school boards, airport authorities, and gas districts.

In a separate disclosure, Trump listed hundreds of bonds held in personal investment accounts separate from his business empire in a financial disclosure report for 2024. However, it's important to note that Trump's business empire encompasses entities not included in the disclosed transactions.

Under federal ethics law, presidents are not required to divest assets that may pose conflicts of interest, but Trump is the first president to not do so since the law was passed in 1978. This has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of Trump's financial interests on his presidency.

As the election approaches, the transparency of Trump's financial dealings continues to be a topic of interest and debate among the public and political analysts alike.