Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, fist-bumped at a news conference regarding a bill to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
Burchett first voiced his support for the Restore Trust in Congress Act, of which Ocasio-Cortez is a co-sponsor.
“I’m proud of all these people up here,” Burchett told reporters flanked by fellow Republicans, including Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
Regarding the Democrats present, Burchett said, “I don’t agree with some of these people on anything. If Cortez told me the sun was coming up tomorrow, I’d probably go out and check it out, but she’s my buddy.”
“And now I will introduce my friend Cortez to come up and speak,” he continued, as the two fist-bumped while AOC stepped to the podium.
President @realDonaldTrump wants to sign a bill banning individual stock trading by members, but does Congress have the guts to pass it? pic.twitter.com/ZtEu3vyeNR
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) September 3, 2025
She began her remarks recounting that soon after becoming a member of Congress in 2019, she and Roy had a conversation about money and politics.
“I think that this issue has brought so many of us across the political spectrum together because we are united by the value that people should feel that their elected representative puts them and their interests first,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“It is one of those rare moments where I feel like Washington is working the way that it’s supposed to work. It feels foreign. It feels alien… It is proof that things can work here,” she added.
“And when we put our disagreements aside, of which of course there may be many, but we focus on the things that we have in common, we can make our country better, we can make this institution better, and we can increase and earn the faith of the American people,” AOC said.
She commended the American people for the support they have shown in preventing members of Congress from trading in individual stocks.
During her remarks at the news conference, Luna reiterated that point, saying she believes that 95 percent of Americans support such a ban.
The lawmaker further noted that if House leadership does not bring the bill to the floor by the end of September, she has a discharge petition prepared to force a vote.
It is time to ban insider trading!
pic.twitter.com/aU04ZInHWU— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) September 3, 2025
“The president has stated that he supports banning this because it is corrupt. Frankly, the fact that members are getting plus-600 percent returns on their investments is wrong,” Luna said.
President Donald Trump asserted during a news conference in July that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s portfolio did better than famed investor Warren Buffett’s over the last 10 years.
Nancy Pelosi outperformed Warren Buffet over the last 10 years.
Pelosi’s stock portfolio grew by 720%.
Buffett’s stock portfolio grew by 185%.
Pelosi had almost 4 times the gains.
Buffett is known as one of the greatest managers of all time.
Criminal.pic.twitter.com/oRAnZsFbwg
— C3 (@C_3C_3) July 30, 2025
White House Press Secretary Karolin Leavitt also said at the time, “Nancy Pelosi makes $174,000 a year, yet has a net worth of approximately $413 million. Nancy Pelosi’s stock portfolio outperformed every single large hedge fund. The president doesn’t want to see people like Nancy Pelosi enriching themselves off of public service.”
PRESS SEC: “Nancy Pelosi makes $174,000 a year, yet has a net worth of approximately $413 million. Nancy Pelosi’s stock portfolio outperformed every single large hedge fund. The president doesn’t want to see people like Nancy Pelosi enriching themselves off of public service.” pic.twitter.com/ceEnjhRnsj
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) July 31, 2025
When questioned by CNN’s Jake Tapper regarding Trump’s allegations of insider trading, Pelosi said, “That’s ridiculous. In fact, I very much support the stop of the trading of members of Congress — not that I think anybody is doing anything wrong. If they are, they are prosecuted and they go to jail.”
“I have no concern about the obvious investments that have been made over time. I’m not into it. My husband is, but it isn’t anything to do with anything insider,” she added.
TAPPER: “I want to give you a chance just to respond. Trump accused you of insider trading.”
PELOSI: “That’s ridiculous. I very much support the stop the trading of members of Congress…I’m not into it, my husband is.”
pic.twitter.com/NnICOfCX7C— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2025
The Hill reported that both House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voiced their support for a ban on members trading individual stocks.
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