Trump’s tariff U-Turn could have sinister reason – taking stock responses

Donald Trump has paused tariffs for everyone except China, saying the decision came from their hearts without the opinion of lawyers.

The pause was announced on the first day of enforcing tariffs after market turmoil, with Donald Trump saying “I saw last night where people were getting a little queasy.”

The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said the pullback had been the plan all along, to bring countries to the bargaining table. Trump later indicated the panic in markets that had unfolded since his “liberation day” had been a factor.

The rising cost of US debt appears most likely to have been the main trigger for Trump’s surprise change of heart.

MAGA

The poor MAGA lot are confused about what to think about this all.

Here are a few reactions to that.

1.

MAGA yesterday: THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR TARIFFS!

MAGA today: THANK YOU SIR, FOR PAUSING YOUR TARIFFS!

Totally not a cult.

— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) April 9, 2025

2.

At the end of the day this was all just a giant market manipulation grift for his billionaire friends to crash the marks and get them some discount buys….and in 90 days or less he’s gonna do it again

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) April 9, 2025

3.

BREAKING: The White House caves on most tariffs—then calls it “The Art of the Deal.”

You can’t make this up. These are the most dangerously incompetent people I’ve ever seen:

– Disrupted global supply chains
– Sent American companies into a panic
– Tanked global markets
-… pic.twitter.com/tGveCFntPH

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) April 9, 2025

4.

Wow. Trump just caved on the sweeping across-the-board tariffs, issuing a 90-day pause.

All of that chaos, trillions of dollars evaporated—for nothing at all. pic.twitter.com/x1vHYE15Ac

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) April 9, 2025

Insider trading?

Now, Donald Trump is facing accusations of market manipulation after posting on social media that it was a “great time to buy” just hours before he made a dramatic U-turn on his trade war that led to big rises in stock markets around the world.

Just after US markets opened on Wednesday morning, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT”.

One person wrote: “It’s obvious that people were tipped off about Trump’s announcement and made a killing off it. Crimes are being committed in broad daylight.”

It’s obvious that people were tipped off about Trump’s announcement and made a killing off it.

Crimes are being committed in broad daylight. https://t.co/C3xawCGRVK

— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) April 9, 2025

One person wrote: “The tell was that Trump posted it was a good time to buy this am. He needed a few days for friends and fam to get their money in place, bet they made a killing in all this chaos. Such manipulations used to be considered a crime in USA.”

The tell was that Trump posted it was a good time to buy this am. He needed a few days for friends and fam to get their money in place, bet they made a killing in all this chaos. Such manipulations used to be considered a crime in USA.

— NoelCaslerComedy🌙 (@caslernoel) April 9, 2025

Another wrote: “9:37am – “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT” 1:18pm – “I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately” The best insider trading of all time shared with the whole world!”

9:37am – "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT"

1:18pm – "I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately"

The best insider trading of all time shared with the whole world! pic.twitter.com/qO2bJ20ExV

— Maggie (@maggynduati) April 9, 2025

This could be serious. Sen Adam Schiff wrote on X: “Is Donald Trump’s inner circle illegally profiting off of these huge swings in the stock market by insider trading? Congress must find out.”

Is Donald Trump's inner circle illegally profiting off of these huge swings in the stock market by insider trading?

Congress must find out. pic.twitter.com/ZZGX99PtFE

— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) April 9, 2025

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