Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said President Donald Trump and members of Congress should not be allowed to trade individual stocks, arguing that it undermines public trust at a time when confidence in institutions is already under pressure.
In a video posted on X Monday, Walz said lawmakers have historically outperformed the broader stock market by a wide margin, which raises questions about whether they are benefiting from information unavailable to the public.
“Trump and members of Congress should not be trading stocks,” Walz said.
Stock Trading Creates Conflicts Of Interest
The governor said elected officials should avoid trading individual stocks altogether because of the potential for conflicts between public service and personal financial gain.
“So this idea that you would trade stocks on information that you had is insidious. It undermines faith in government,” Walz added. “It cheats the system.”
Walz is not alone in raising concerns about stock trading by elected officials. Earlier this month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned the timing of several of Trump’s stock trades, including investments in high-performing companies such as Dell Technologies and Micron Technology this year, and described the situation as an “absurd level of corruption.”
Criticism Extends Beyond Trump
Walz criticized Trump’s trading activity and raised concerns about business ventures involving members of the president’s family, including investments tied to emerging industries such as drones and prediction markets.
The governor said such activity fuels public skepticism about government at a time when confidence in institutions is already under pressure.
Walz argued that the issue is not unique to Trump, saying Democratic lawmakers have also traded individual stocks.
Stock Trading Ban Has Bipartisan Support
“You’re not in office to get wealthy. If you want to do that, go work in the private sector,” Walz said, adding that public officials should not be in a position to benefit from information gained through their roles in government.
Efforts to ban stock trading by members of Congress have attracted support from lawmakers in both parties, though legislation aimed at restricting the practice has repeatedly stalled in Washington.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com
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