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Benzinga
Benzinga
Surbhi Jain

Trump Tweets Trigger Stock Swings For Tesla, Boeing, Pfizer—And An Insider Trading Inquiry

Hershey,,Pa,-,December,15,,2016:,President,Donald,Trump,Grabs

When President Donald Trump hits "post" on Truth Social, Wall Street braces for impact.

What Happened: Various stock prices — Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), Boeing Co (NYSE:BA), Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and American Eagle Outfitters Inc (NYSE:AEO) to name a few — have either spiked or crashed, depending on Trump’s praise or scorn.

Let's dive into how his social media swagger jolts these giants, with real-time data showing the stakes and quick nods to other stocks he's rocked.

  • Track AEO stock’s recent wild ride here.

Read Also: Trump Hails ‘Best May In 30 Years’ — These 3 AI Infra Stocks Delivered Their Own MAGA Moment

Tesla's Trump Bump

Tesla's a prime example. In March, Trump turned the White House into a Tesla showroom. The stunt sent TSLA stock surging from $259.16 to $309.30 by August 5, boosting CEO Elon Musk's fortune by $20 billion in a day.

Musk, a major Trump donor, was on good terms with the president at the time. They have since had a falling out.

Regardless of the friendship, investors jumped on Trump's Musk-friendly vibe, amplified by the CEO's White House advisory role.

Boeing, Pfizer Tumble

Meanwhile, Boeing took a hit in 2016 when then-President-elect Trump tweeted that Air Force One costs were "out of control," slashing BA stock 2%—from ~$150 to ~$147—erasing nearly $1 billion in value.

By Aug. 5, BA sat at $225.20, still sensitive to Trump's policy swings.

Pfizer has felt both sides of Trump's influence. His 2018 tweet slamming drug price hikes dropped PFE 1.5% in a day, from ~$37 to ~$36.50. But in 2020, his COVID vaccine praise lifted it 5%, touching ~$39.

As of Aug. 5, PFE trades at $24.76, reflecting market jitters from his tariff talk.

From Apple To American Eagle

American Eagle got a Trump boost on Aug. 5, when his Truth Social post about its Sydney Sweeney ad campaign spiked the stock 20%, from $10.80 in July to $12.23, a $150 million market cap jump.

Other stocks have danced to Trump's tune, too. His 2018 Harley-Davidson Inc (NYSE:HOG) tweet storm tanked its shares 10%, while his 2025 tariff threats crushed Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) 10% and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) 13%.

Why It Matters: Trump’s April "BUY DJT" post sent the share price of his own company, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (NASDAQ:DJT), up 22%, adding $415 million to his trust.

On the morning of April 9, Trump posted, "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT." Just four hours later, he announced a pause on new tariffs—news that triggered a spike in the stock market.

Meanwhile, data shows his tariff announcements alone erased $5.4 trillion from the S&P 500 in April 2025.

Lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, argue the sequence suggests Trump may have used privileged information to influence the market, potentially amounting to insider trading—the illegal practice of buying or selling securities based on material, nonpublic information.

Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee, led by Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters, have sent a letter to the SEC urging an investigation into whether Trump, his administration, or associates manipulated the market for personal gain. Senate Democrats echoed the call.

Adding to the scrutiny, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene—one of Trump's closest allies—sold U.S. Treasury securities and bought shares in Amazon, Blackstone, and Tesla on April 8 and 9, just before and on the day of Trump's market-moving post and policy news.

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Image: Shutterstock

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