President Donald Trump posted over 100 times on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday as global stock markets fell sharply. Investors feared that Trump’s economic policies could lead to a U.S. recession. Trump’s posts began at 11:44 a.m. ET with a link to a Fox News article about the British prime minister raising defense spending before visiting Washington.
He then shared dozens of messages praising his policies. By 1:05 p.m., after the FTSE in London had closed down 1.4% and media analysts began discussing a possible U.S. recession, Trump switched topics. He posted about Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and legal U.S. resident whose arrest by immigration authorities had sparked protests.
After a brief break, Trump resumed posting links, including mentions of a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize by a Republican in Congress and tweets showing Republican support for him. After U.S. markets closed with the S&P down 2.7%, the Dow Jones down 2%, and the Nasdaq plummeting 4%, Trump bizarrely shared promotions for “The Apprentice,” the reality show that had previously boosted his career.
Trump’s social media frenzy amidst market slump
He later accused Canada of being “a Tariff abuser” and praised Elon Musk for “doing a FANTASTIC JOB” in “putting it on the line” to help the nation. He also accused leftists of attempting to boycott Tesla. White House officials, speaking anonymously, tried to interpret Trump’s posts and calm growing concerns over potential economic turmoil.
One official stated: “We’re seeing a strong divergence between animal spirits of the stock market and what we’re actually seeing unfold from businesses and business leaders. The latter is obviously more meaningful than the former on what’s in store for the economy in the medium to long term.”
Michael Wolff, author of four books on Trump, has noted that many posts on Trump’s account are not made by the president but by Natalie Harp, a devoted aide. This has reportedly caused confusion and concern among Trump’s family members.
Sarah Matthews, a former White House communications aide, testified that it is “painfully obvious” when Trump himself writes a tweet or social post due to his distinct phrasing and capitalization style. Messages sent by aides, however, appeared more grammatically correct. The president’s use of social media in such a manner has added another layer of unpredictability to the market’s already jittery state, raising questions about the stability of both his administration and the U.S. economy.
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