Federal Agency Probes Suspicious Oil Trades Made Before Trump Pivots

A US federal derivatives regulator is probing suspicious oil futures trades made just before President Trump’s policy shifts on Iran, raising concerns about potential insider trading or market manipulation. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is leading the investigation, focusing on trades that appeared to anticipate Trump’s decisions, which significantly moved oil prices. Former CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler discussed the case, suggesting the trades’ timing and scale warrant scrutiny for possible illicit foreknowledge of geopolitical developments. The trades occurred ahead of Trump’s Iran-related announcements, which directly impacted global oil markets, triggering volatility and prompting regulatory attention. If proven, the activity could reveal vulnerabilities in financial markets to geopolitical insider trading, with broader implications for market oversight and enforcement.