Trump's Media Group Eyes ETFs With Politically Focused Venture
Barely two weeks into his new term, Trump's finance company plans to target conservative investors with an anti-woke agenda.
President Donald Trump's finance and media company is taking aim at the ETF industry with plans to launch funds and crypto investments through its new Truth.Fi brand, with a focus on "investments that strengthen the Patriot Economy."
The company, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp, which has a ticker of DJT, didn't unveil a specific exchange-traded fund in its Wednesday announcement. Charles Schwab Corp., the fifth-largest U.S. ETF issuer, has been tapped to custody $250 million in investments, which is on top of the company's cash and cash-equivalent reserves of over $700 million as of year's end, the release said.
The move comes nine days after Trump was sworn in amid a flurry of executive orders and statements aimed at nudging the global economy and culture in a more conservative direction. The company, created to hold Trump's Truth Social platform shortly after he was banned from Twitter in 2021, says on its website "No Political Discrimination, Canceling Cancel Culture, Standing Up to Big Tech," and according to the statement, seeks to develop "American First" investment vehicles.
TMTG shares rose 6.4% in afternoon trading.
The project "is another step toward our goal of creating a robust ecosystem through which American patriots can protect themselves from the ever-present threat of cancellation, censorship, debanking, and privacy violations committed by Big Tech and woke corporations," Trump Media CEO and former California Congressman Devin Nunes said in the statement.
The move represents a growing trend of investment products catering to political ideologies, with Trump.Fi joining existing conservative-focused funds like the God Bless America ETF (YALL) and Point Bridge America First ETF (MAGA) in offering alternatives to traditional ESG investments.
The announcement follows recent complaints from Republicans about alleged discrimination by major banks. During a World Economic Forum appearance last week, President Trump directly challenged Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan over claims of conservatives being “locked out” of banking services.
Potential Trump ETFs Face Regulatory Hurdles
Truth.Fi’s planned investment vehicles will require regulatory approval, particularly for crypto-related offerings. Politically and ideologically driven ETFs have historically struggled to outperform broader market indices.
President Trump owns 114,750,000 shares of Trump Media, also with the ticker DJT, through a revocable trust, according to a regulatory filing.
TMGT’s dual role as both a media company and financial services provider may raise conflict of interest concerns, particularly regarding the promotion of investment products through its Truth Social platform.
The launch of Truth.Fi follows a broader trend of social media platforms expanding into financial services, with X recently announcing a partnership with Visa for its own fintech initiatives.
Trump's first days in office generated an unprecedented mix of finance and politics. There were launches of $TRUMP and $MELANIA crypto coins, while Rex Shares and Osprey Funds filed for a Trump-themed ETF designed to track Trump-associated cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects, according to SEC filings.
"The Company anticipates that Truth.Fi products and services, including multiple investment vehicles, will be rolled out in 2025 as new agreements are consummated, funding levels are determined, and any necessary approvals by financial regulators are secured," the statement read.