Reporter Confronts Trump Over Claim He ‘Manipulated’ Stock Market As Press Herded Out Of Cabinet Meeting

President Donald Trump was confronted at the tail end of a cabinet meeting by a reporter over allegations he “manipulated” the stock market amid his flurry of activity on tariffs.

After a disastrous week in the stock market, Trump tried to calm fears Wednesday morning by posting a message telling investors to relax and “BE COOL” — hours before he announced a 90-day “pause” on most of the tariffs that caused the market to tank.

While Trump aides and supporters chalked the episode up to a masterful negotiating strategy, Trump told reporters he made the move because “I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippy, you know, they were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid.”

But along with his earlier plea for investors to “BE COOL,” Trump also sent a message that looked very suspicious to some people in hindsight. At 9:37 AM on Truth Social, Trump wrote ““THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT”.

Rep. Steve Horsford (D-NV) and other Democrats have accused Trump of market manipulation and suggested his message was meant to tip off his supporters. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) made a similar accusation Wednesday.

“If people are pissed about insider trading here at the House, look at what’s happening at the White House right now and with the Republican Party,” AOC said to Spectrum News.

Trump was confronted about the accusations at the end of a 73-minute cabinet meeting Thursday afternoon as reporters were being ushered out. Trump did not answer, but appeared to have a delayed reaction with raised eyebrows and a shake of the head:

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

REPORTER: Mr. President, Democrats were making allegations about market manipulation yesterday–.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you.

Did you–

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Watch above via White House Pool.