Why Donald Trump is being accused of stock market manipulation
What's the story
US President Donald Trump is facing scrutiny for possibly manipulating stock markets.
Calls for an investigation arose after two posts on Trump's Truth Social network.
The first post, shortly after the US stock market opened, read "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!"
Nearly four hours after his post, Trump announced a pause on his most severe tariffs on most countries.
Stocks surged significantly, with the Dow closing up nearly 3,000 points.
Market response
Market reaction followed Trump's social media posts
The timing of Trump's posts came as share prices were falling, amid fears of the economic impact of his new trade policies.
His announcement to pause the tariffs sent stocks surging, making big profits for those who acted on his morning advice.
This has raised questions among Democratic lawmakers and government ethics experts if Trump was trying to manipulate markets or letting others access insider information.
Investigation request
Senators request probe into Trump's potential market manipulation
Senators Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego have called for an urgent inquiry into the matter.
They wrote to the White House asking for an investigation into whether Trump, his family, or other members of his administration engaged in insider trading or other illegal financial transactions.
Senator Elizabeth Warren also called for an investigation, asking if this was "corruption in plain sight."
Defense
White House defends Trump's actions amid market manipulation allegations
White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended Trump, accusing Democrats of "playing partisan games."
He said Trump's early-morning post was meant to calm investors' fears and reassure them about their economic security.
Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota and former chief ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, also weighed in on the matter.
Not accusing Trump of market manipulation, he highlighted concerns over financial conflicts of interest since Trump's election in 2016.
Limited action
Limited expectation for action despite calls for investigation
Despite widespread calls to investigate Trump's posts, experts don't expect much action.
Republican lawmakers, who control both the House and Senate, have shown little interest in confronting Trump.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which investigates allegations of insider trading, is also not expected to take significant action on this matter.