Donald Trump-related activity tracking.
2026
Jan17
CoreWeave (CRWV.US) stock rose nearly 8% to $102.5 after a White House disclosure revealed that Donald Trump had purchased the company's corporate bonds. The transactions reportedly took place between November 14 and December 29 of the previous year, as part of a larger $51 million investment spree in various corporate and municipal bonds. The disclosure also mentioned bond purchases in other companies like Netflix, General Motors, and Boeing.
Jan16
US President Donald Trump unexpectedly supported Canada's move to deepen economic ties with China, stating Ottawa is doing "what it should be doing." This follows a visit by Canada's Prime Minister to Beijing which resulted in a new agreement on electric vehicles and canola oil. Trump's remarks coincide with his recent public dismissal of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), where he claimed the US doesn't need Canadian or Mexican goods, a move seen as a catalyst for Canada to strengthen its relationship with China.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos from January 19-23 as part of the largest-ever U.S. delegation, which will be led by former President Donald Trump. This follows recent pressure from the Trump administration on tech companies, with Microsoft agreeing to pay for grid upgrades related to its data centers to prevent local electricity price hikes. Trump is expected to make several key announcements at Davos, including a plan for 401(k) withdrawals for housing and his decision on the next Fed Chair.
The U.S. Supreme Court has indicated it may release rulings on January 20, with a major pending case concerning the legality of President Trump's global tariffs. The court does not specify in advance which cases will be decided. If a ruling on the tariff case is not issued, it could be delayed for at least another month. Betting markets previously suggested a ~70% probability of the policy being ruled invalid. Trump has personally emphasized the importance of winning the case.
Former US President Trump has announced a "Great Healthcare Plan" proposal aimed at reducing health insurance costs for the public. The plan seeks to lower drug prices and insurance premiums by eliminating insurance brokers and corporate intermediaries, increasing price transparency, and providing funds directly to individuals to purchase their own insurance.
A highly anticipated proposal defers many decisions to Congress and includes overarching ideas such as directing payments to health savings accounts (HSAs) instead of providing insurance subsidies. This follows a related Republican-backed proposal in the US Senate in December 2025, which aimed to establish HSAs for those benefiting from Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies but failed to pass. The political disagreement centers on whether to extend existing subsidies or replace them with HSAs.
Jan15
The U.S. and Taiwan have finalized a trade agreement where Taiwanese firms will invest at least $250 billion in the U.S. semiconductor, AI, and energy sectors. In return, the U.S. will lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 15% and provide exemptions for new chip factories. The Taiwanese side will also offer up to $250 billion in credit guarantees to support the investments. The deal solidifies the U.S.-Taiwan tech partnership, with TSMC planning multiple fabs in Arizona. Following the news and strong earnings, TSMC's ADR saw a significant rise.
The White House announced that President Trump expects credit card companies to lower their costs for consumers. This follows his recent proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 10% to combat what he calls predatory rates of 20-30%. The move is framed as a way to ease the cost of living for Americans ahead of the midterm elections. However, the banking industry has warned that such a cap would disrupt risk-based pricing, harm profitability, and could lead to millions of consumers losing access to credit, potentially pushing them towards higher-cost lenders.
President Trump has demanded that insurance companies lower their premiums and be held accountable. He stated he will meet with 14 health insurance companies in the coming days to lobby for lower prices, a move he first mentioned in December 2025. This is part of a broader effort to address living costs, as he also plans to meet with oil companies. The pressure is linked to the potential expiration of Obamacare subsidies, which could lead to premium hikes for millions of voters. Previous comments on this topic have caused the stocks of major health insurers like Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and Cigna to fall.
President Trump plans to ask Congress to pass legislation to lower drug costs, aiming to codify a prior agreement. This follows a series of populist proposals targeting cost-of-living issues, including capping credit card interest rates, banning Wall Street investment in single-family homes, and pressuring oil companies. Trump has previously negotiated with pharmaceutical companies for price reductions in exchange for tariff relief and is scheduled to meet with insurance companies. However, past efforts have faced strong opposition from industry lobbyists.
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has implemented broad tariff policies, including 25% on Mexican and Canadian imports and 10% on Chinese goods, alongside duties on steel, aluminum, and autos. Concurrently, it has used tariff exemptions as leverage, securing deals with pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie for lower drug prices, and with Taiwan for increased TSMC investment in the U.S. The administration also imposed tariffs on some semiconductors and threatened a 25% tariff on any country trading with Iran. These policies face a significant legal challenge at the Supreme Court, which could force a massive tariff refund.
The U.S. will impose a 25% tariff on certain imported semiconductors and related products starting January 15, citing national security threats under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The measure specifically targets high-end AI chips like Nvidia's H200 and AMD's MI325X. However, there are exemptions for chips used in U.S. data centers and for supporting the domestic tech supply chain. Officials have described this as a "first phase" action. For Nvidia's H200, sales to China will incur the tariff, and shipment volume to China cannot exceed 50% of that to the U.S. Despite a negative market reaction, Nvidia has expressed support for the policy.
Former US President Trump's recent remarks suggest a shift in policy, demanding that AI giants like Microsoft bear the costs of their data centers' energy consumption to prevent rising electricity prices for consumers. This contrasts with his previous pro-AI, deregulatory stance and has introduced uncertainty and potential bottlenecks for the expansion of AI infrastructure. While previously aiming to federalize grid control to accelerate AI development, he now warns that companies must generate their own power, potentially impacting their profits and construction speed. Microsoft has responded with a "Community First AI Infrastructure" initiative, promising not to drive up local power prices.
Jan14
The White House announced that President Trump may soon impose broader tariffs on imported semiconductors and their derivative products . This follows the imposition of a 25% tariff on some advanced chips on Thursday . The move is intended to incentivize domestic manufacturing , and may be accompanied by a tariff offset plan to encourage production transfers to the U.S. . This policy push comes as the Supreme Court was expected to rule on the legality of previous tariffs, with the administration prepared to use alternative legal means to maintain them if necessary .
President Trump has signed an executive directive enabling the U.S. to impose a 25% tax on chip sales . Some reports specify this applies to imported advanced chips or, more pointedly, to chips "transshipped through the United States to other foreign countries," potentially as part of the fallout from the Nvidia H200 deal .
On a Wednesday earnings call, Wells Fargo's CFO, Mike Santomassimo, warned that President Trump's proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates would significantly harm credit availability for a broad range of consumers and negatively impact economic growth. This proposal, which has drawn strong opposition from the banking industry, suggests a one-year cap starting January 20th and has already pressured bank stocks. Banks argue the cap would destroy risk-based pricing models, forcing them to deny credit to higher-risk customers.
Jan13
U.S. President Trump announced that more plans to reduce the cost of living for the public will be revealed in the coming weeks . This follows a series of recent proposals and discussions, including a call to cap credit card interest rates at 10% , potential tax rebates and tariff cuts , and upcoming meetings with oil and health insurance companies . The administration has also signaled a focus on housing reform and has been vocal about influencing the Federal Reserve, with plans to announce a successor to Chairman Powell . These initiatives are framed as key to the 2026 midterm election strategy, focusing on the issue of "pricing" .
U.S. President Trump praised the decline in core inflation and recent GDP growth. This is part of a consistent pattern of commentary where he argues that a strong economy and rising markets should be met with lower interest rates from the Federal Reserve, not hikes. He has criticized the market's 'good news is bad news' logic and warned that any future Fed Chair nominee must agree with his view. His administration believes its policies have fostered non-inflationary growth and that the Fed should cut rates. Trump has explicitly stated that low inflation data is a reason for Fed Chair Powell to lower rates.
President Trump has labeled the USMCA trade agreement as "irrelevant" and "not important" for the United States, suggesting that Canada is the party that truly desires the deal. These comments were made during a visit to a Ford factory in Michigan, where he advocated for returning manufacturing to the U.S. The USMCA, which replaced NAFTA in 2020, is scheduled for a mandatory review this year to decide its future.
The Trump administration has launched the "US Tech Force" program to recruit around 1,000 tech professionals, such as AI engineers and data scientists, for two-year federal government positions. With annual salaries ranging from $130K to $200K, the program aims to win the global AI race and modernize the government. It involves a partnership with over 20 tech giants, including Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Google, who have committed to giving priority hiring consideration to program graduates. The initiative primarily targets early-career professionals and establishes a two-way talent flow between the government and the private sector.
