Former President Donald Trump has seen his fortune grow by $1.8 billion, thanks to a stock bonus awarded by his publicly listed company, Trump Media & Technology Group. The main asset of this company is the social media platform Truth Social, and Trump’s bonus came in the form of 36 million additional shares as part of an “earnout” arrangement. This bonus was triggered when the company’s stock remained above $17.50 per share for at least 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period.
Trump now controls 114.75 million shares of Trump Media, which trades under the ticker DJT, corresponding to his initials. Based on the stock’s closing price, this stake is valued at about $5.7 billion. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Trump’s total net worth is now estimated at approximately $8 billion, with a significant portion tied to his shares in Trump Media.
The boost in Trump’s wealth is a result of a recent surge in the value of Trump Media’s stock. Although the company’s stock had experienced volatility since going public in late March, with an initial peak followed by a substantial slide, it has since rebounded. Since the previous Monday, the stock price has increased by 43%, regaining lost ground. On Tuesday, shares rose by $3.24, or 7%, to close at $49.93.
Despite the substantial increase in his wealth, Trump cannot immediately sell his shares due to a “lockup” period that restricts insiders from cashing out for five months after a company goes public. Lockup periods are standard for newly listed companies to prevent insiders from selling their shares too quickly, which could cause the stock price to drop.
With the additional stock grant, Trump now owns approximately 65% of Trump Media & Technology Group, even though the company is currently operating at a loss, having generated just $4.1 million in revenue last year.
