Donald Trump, the current President of the United States, purchased SpaceX shares on June 23, just eleven days after Elon Musk's company's Initial Public Offering (IPO).
According to a financial statement issued by the U.S. government, the invested amount was between US$ 15,001 and US$ 50 thousand, which is equivalent to approximately R$ 77 thousand to R$ 258 thousand. The exact value of the transaction was not disclosed, as federal financial reports use value ranges. This document was signed by Trump on August 12 and became public on August 22.
This acquisition was part of a total of over a thousand stock buy and sell transactions made by the president during June. The purchase occurred shortly after SpaceX's IPO, which took place on June 12. At that time, the company raised US$ 75 billion, about R$ 386 billion, in its largest initial public offering in U.S. history, reaching an approximate valuation of US$ 1.77 trillion, or R$ 9.1 trillion. Each share was traded for US$ 135, equivalent to approximately R$ 695.
The acquisition also raises questions due to the existing relationship between Trump and Musk. Although they currently maintain closeness, both had a brief disagreement the previous year. At that time, Musk accused Trump of withholding Justice Department documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, as the president's name appeared frequently in those papers.
Simultaneously, SpaceX has been increasing its participation in contracts with the U.S. government and is benefiting from the deregulation policy implemented under the Trump administration, according to a recent analysis by The Wall Street Journal. As an important supplier to the U.S. government, Trump's financial stake in this company gains particular relevance.
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The White House clarified that the purchase was not a decision made directly by Trump. Davis Ingle, a White House spokesperson, informed Reuters that the president's investment portfolio is managed by third-party financial institutions, which follow established indices, such as the Schwab 1000. According to Ingle, neither Trump nor any member of his family has the autonomy to decide, influence, or suggest which investments should be made or when stocks should be bought or sold.
This management model also explains the presence of SpaceX in the presidential portfolio, despite the company's importance to the federal government. Furthermore, SpaceX actively sought to be included more quickly in popular stock market indices before its IPO. The company pressured the index administrators to change their rules, allowing for a faster inclusion of its shares. As a result of this pressure, many investors began holding SpaceX shares indirectly, through funds and portfolios that replicate these indices, even without directly choosing to acquire the company's stock.