Trump-Linked Trades: What Rose, What Fell, and Why

Donald Trump’s return to the White House triggered a wave of market enthusiasm across Wall Street and the crypto world, as investors rushed into companies and digital assets linked to Trump and his family.

In the weeks following the election, many of these Trump-related bets surged, fueled by expectations that political influence, regulatory shifts, or public attention could translate into financial success. Some of those early gains held up. Others did not.

Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, became a symbol of this post-election optimism. The stock surged ahead of the vote as traders treated it as a proxy for Trump’s political momentum. However, despite Trump’s frequent use of Truth Social, user growth and revenue have remained limited, and the stock has since fallen sharply from its peak.

Several Trump-linked crypto projects followed a similar pattern. Meme coins associated with Trump and Melania Trump saw rapid spikes in value shortly after launch, only to lose most of their market capitalization within weeks. Other ventures, including Trump-backed crypto and mining projects, also struggled as the broader crypto market cooled.

At the same time, not all Trump-era bets failed. Bitcoin rose significantly following Trump’s pro-crypto messaging, and European defense stocks benefited from renewed pressure on NATO allies to increase military spending.