Attorney General Pam Bondi Sells Trump Media Stock Amid Market Downturn

Last month, it was noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi divested from her stock holdings in a media company owned by President Trump, a transaction valued between $1 million and $5 million. This stock sale coincided with the President’s declaration of widespread tariffs, an announcement that led to a significant drop in the stock market. The extent and timing of Bondi’s trade remain undisclosed as the disclosure form was not specific on these details.

It is important to note that this move by Pam Bondi was not unexpected. Upon her confirmation, she had entered an agreement committing to divest from her Trump Media stock within the initial 90 days after taking office. From the day she pledged into her role in early February, the agreed timeframe had given her up until the early days of May to execute this sale.

The day Ms. Bondi selected to authorize the transaction was the same day that President Trump publicized his plan for extensive tariffs against U.S. trade partners, a move that resulted in a significant stock market downturn. This development specifically affected the share price of Trump Media, leading to its drop in value. Ms. Bondi’s decision to execute the sale on this particular day has been a matter of interest.

Although there were no specific details regarding the stock sale in the disclosure form, expectations surrounding it were fulfilled. The form did not cover key transaction details such as the particular timing or the precise number of shares that Bondi offloaded, merely providing a broad estimate of the transaction’s worth.

Regardless of her reasons for timing the trade as she did, the transaction didn’t induce a significant change in Bondi’s overall finances. Following the tariff announcement, the company’s stock experienced a 15% decrease in its value, but managed to recover after President Trump scaled back his original plan in response to a strong backlash leading to a rapid decrease in his approval ratings.

Federal regulations clearly prohibit officials from using privileged government or proprietary information to garner personal profit. However, the occurrence of such incidents is rare and evidence for the same is difficult to establish. Despite the peculiar timing of Bondi’s transaction, it is noteworthy that President Trump had openly voiced his intent to implement strict tariffs with a view to rectify trade imbalances.

Upon request for comment on this matter, a spokesman for Attorney General Bondi has yet to respond. Information about the stock sale is publicly available on the ethics office website and was first reported by ProPublica, an investigative journalism organization.

Pam Bondi, the former two-term Attorney General of Florida, has historically had a significant financial connection with President Trump. Through a merger that resulted in the formation of Trump Media, the parent company of the Truth Social platform, she profited a sum of $3 million for her advisory role, as revealed in her financial disclosure forms provided during her confirmation hearings this year.

In her earlier disclosure filings, Bondi reported that she remained in possession of Trump Media stock valued at $2 million to $10 million. This prior fact indicates that her recent sale of shares in April might be closer to $5 million, at the top end of the range provided in the recent disclosure.

In addition to these earnings, Bondi was also previously maintained on a six-figure retainer by a non-profit organization related to legal policy connected with President Trump. Her financial ties to Trump-affiliated entities also include more than $1 million annual earnings from her lobbying job with Ballard Partners. The closeness of this firm with both President Trump and his allies is well-known.