BlockBeats News, May 21st - US Vice President Pence responded to the Trump stock trading controversy during a press conference, stating that Trump is very wealthy and does not personally conduct stock trades, but rather his investments are managed by an independent wealth advisor. Previously, the US Office of Government Ethics revealed that Trump's accounts conducted approximately 3700 stock trades in the first quarter of this year, involving companies such as Palantir, Dell, and Micron. After some of the trades, Trump had mentioned the related companies in public speeches or on social media, prompting concerns about conflicts of interest.

Pence denied Trump's direct involvement in the trades, stating: "The President is not sitting in the Oval Office opening Robinhood to trade stocks, that's ridiculous." The Trump Organization had previously stated that its portfolio is independently managed by a third-party financial institution through automated processes. Pence also mentioned that both he and Trump support banning members of Congress from trading stocks based on non-public information obtained through their public positions.

Earlier reports revealed that the US Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in its latest disclosure documents showed that President Trump conducted significant financial transactions in the first quarter of 2026, with the total transaction volume ranging from approximately $220 million to $750 million. The stock-related transactions amounted to 3642, including 2346 buys and 1296 sells. The documents did not disclose specific execution details or gains and losses, only showing transaction amount ranges and quantities.