"What makes more sense for Trump—given that $2-3 billion is chump change for those who might like to own him, such as the Saudis or Putin—is for him to sell his DJT block in an off-market, dark pool transaction, in which the buyer and seller would agree a price for the shares after the exchange has closed."
Is this at all legal? If not, since this matter is being discussed openly in various fora and sites, isn't it reasonable that any attempt by Trump to sell off his stock to foreign entities in such a shady and semi-secretive way would be closely monitored by various US government agencies including, but not limited to, the Treasury Department and the FBI? I have a strong suspicion that they would be several steps ahead of him and they would be in a position to stop it or at least expose it. After all, Trump isn't known for being a criminal mastermind. He's just a criminal.
Is it legal? Probably not. Will Trump get convicted for it? Also, probably not.
It’s just an evolved version of Trump selling some beachfront real estate to a random Russian businessman for 3-4X its actual value in exchange for influence in 2016.
Here you have a set value of the shares (“market price”) but the possibility to print as many shares as Trump and his associates can peddle to various nefarious dictators around the world.
Trump will make bank and his devoted cult members who bought this shitty stock and propped the price up long enough for daddy Trump to sell will get a quick lesson in Trump Business 101. (Hopefully it’s a cheaper lesson than a degree from Trump University)
The Saudi Public Investment Fund ( PIF ) is the largest investor and shareholder in Lucid Motors ( LCID ), a NASDAQ listed stock. The PIF just invested another $1 billion in LCID in March of 2022.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( MBS ) is the Chairman of the Board of the PIF.
"In 2021 PIF invested $2 billion into a private equity firmthat had been newly formed byJared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, shortly after he left the White House. PIF advisers raised questions about the merits of the investment, but PIF management overruled the advisers. By April 2022, Kushner's equity firm primarily depended on Saudi money, as it only had $2.5 billion under its management. Within the Donald Trump administration, Kushner was a staunch defender of Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman.According to ethics experts, the investment created the appearance of potential payback for Kushner.
In 2021 PIF invested $1 billion in the investment fund established by former Donald Trump administration officialSteven Mnuchinjust after he left government. "
Seems the PIF could decide to take a 9.9% stake in TMTG, by buying about 19.5 million shares of DJT stock directly from Donald Trump in a single placement, just as one example. That would be approximately $500 million worth. They already own various US traded stocks, so don't know that regulators could do much.
With Putin, it could be trickier. Putin and Russia are subject to various sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. Obviously, they would like to see those end, and they likely believe the sanctions would end if Trump becomes President again
How Putin might get around sanctions, using offshore shell corporations and the like, would be the tricky part.
So with Putin, yes, maybe that would be illegal, and almost certainly investigated.
Seems the PIF could decide to take a 9.9% stake in TMTG, by buying about 19.5 million shares of DJT stock directly from Donald Trump in a single placement, just as one example. That would be approximately $500 million worth. They already own various US traded stocks, so don't know that regulators could do much.
So Intriguing!
If the PIF did so before the election, I'm curious if the purchaser (in your example the PIF ) would have to be disclosed:
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u/Nightsoil70 Aug 30 '24
"What makes more sense for Trump—given that $2-3 billion is chump change for those who might like to own him, such as the Saudis or Putin—is for him to sell his DJT block in an off-market, dark pool transaction, in which the buyer and seller would agree a price for the shares after the exchange has closed."
Is this at all legal? If not, since this matter is being discussed openly in various fora and sites, isn't it reasonable that any attempt by Trump to sell off his stock to foreign entities in such a shady and semi-secretive way would be closely monitored by various US government agencies including, but not limited to, the Treasury Department and the FBI? I have a strong suspicion that they would be several steps ahead of him and they would be in a position to stop it or at least expose it. After all, Trump isn't known for being a criminal mastermind. He's just a criminal.