CNBC’s Jim Cramer was left speechless on live television after his co-host casually mentioned that President Donald Trump had been trading Intel stock. The moment happened during a segment on Squawk On The Street, and Cramer’s stunned reaction quickly spread across social media.
According to HuffPost, the segment started with co-hosts Carl Quintanilla and David Faber talking about Intel’s recent growth, which gave the U.S. government a 10% stake in the company last August. Cramer jumped in and suggested the government could sell some of its shares to benefit the American people.
That’s when Quintanilla said, “According to the filings, the president’s been trading some Intel in the quarter, yeah.” Cramer went completely silent for 10 seconds, prompting his co-hosts to tease him with, “Got nothing to say about that?” The video of Cramer’s on-air silence has been circulating on social media, with many users calling it “something to behold.” He has not commented on the incident since.
Trump’s trading record raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest
Trump made around 3,700 financial trades in the first quarter of the year, averaging 59 trades a day and nine trades per hour, and these trades have earned him tens of millions of dollars. Many of the companies he invested in also do business with the federal government, raising serious conflict of interest concerns.
Among the most notable trades, Trump bought stock in Amazon and Microsoft months before the Pentagon announced agreements with both companies. He also purchased a significant amount of Nvidia stock right before the company received permission to export its advanced H200 AI processors to China. Nvidia’s stock then rose, earning Trump a considerable profit.
Beyond individual stock trades, Trump’s administration has also relaxed rules on the crypto industry, allowing his family to invest heavily in cryptocurrency. He has also reportedly created a $1.8 billion fund to compensate allies who helped push the “big lie,” and has used his pardon power to benefit people who hired lobbyists to help them avoid legal consequences.
Trump has also been making headlines on the foreign policy front, as seen in his recent warning directed at Iran. Republicans, who control Congress, have not spoken out about these trades or the conflicts they represent.
Democrats, meanwhile, are largely focused on issues like rising prices at gas stations and grocery stores, leaving little political attention on Trump’s financial activities. This comes at a time when global rivals are also watching closely, with China calling America a nation in decline adding further pressure to the political climate.
Trump made around 3,700 financial trades in the first quarter of the year, averaging 59 trades a day and nine trades per hour, earning him tens of millions of dollars. Many of the companies he invested in do business with the federal government, raising serious conflict of interest concerns. As long as Trump remains in office, the pattern of using government power for personal financial gain is likely to continue, with few checks in place to stop it.
Published: May 19, 2026 12:15 pm