Trump Media stock slips after second apparent assassination attempt in Florida

3 months ago 67
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Shares of Trump Media slid on Monday, one day after Donald Trump — the company's majority shareholder — was unharmed in an apparent assassination attempt on a Florida golf course.

The stock, which trades under the ticker "DJT," opened slightly up before sinking more than 4% by mid-morning. Trump Media was trading around $17.23 per share at 11:00 a.m. ET.

U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire on an individual shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday, after they spotted a rifle near the property line of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, where the Republican nominee for president was playing a round.

Officials later arrested 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, after he fled the scene. He is in custody and made his first appearance in federal court on Monday.

As soon as the agents heard gunfire, they immediately transported Trump to a secure location.

"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes - It was certainly an interesting day!" Trump posted late Sunday night on Trump Media's marquis product, the social media app Truth Social.

The attempt Sunday was just two months and two days after Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.

Shares of Trump Media soared on the first day of trading after the Butler shooting, closing up more than 30% on July 15.

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Monday morning's slide also followed Trump's announcement on Friday that he would not sell his 57% stake in the company.

Trump and other company insiders have been barred from selling their shares in Trump Media, but those lockup restrictions are set to expire on Thursday.

"No, I'm not selling," Trump told reporters at his golf club in Palos Verdes, California on Friday.

The stock surged as much as 25% following that announcement, and trading activity for Trump Media was briefly halted twice due to volatility.

Shares closed up 11% Friday at $17.97 per share. At this price, Trumps' 114,750,000-share stake in the company was worth more than $2 billion.

But even after Friday's gains, the stock closed barely higher than where it had opened the week.

Shares slid nearly 14% and hit fresh all-time lows on Wednesday and Thursday, after the first presidential debate between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump Media often acts as a proxy for Trump's political fortunes, and while Trump continues to claim victory in the Sept. 10 debate, political pundits and strategists agree Harris came out on top.

As of 11:00 a.m ET Monday, the stock was down more than 55% since its most recent high in July, after the first assassination attempt. Shares were down 74% off the stock's March public trading debut on the Nasdaq.

Trump Media's market capitalization stood at roughly $3.4 billion mid-morning on Monday.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

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