Trump bought as much as $5 million in Axon stock before ICE sought $220 million Taser deal
Axon Enterprise has ramped up lobbying in Congress on federal law enforcement technology as ICE pursues a potential $220 million Taser deal.
TL;DR
- President Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million in Axon Enterprise stock on February 10th, federal disclosures show.
- Two weeks later, on February 24th, ICE posted a notice seeking approximately 17,800 new Tasers, with specifications that experts believe closely match Axon's Taser 10 model.
- The White House stated that Trump's investments are managed by independent third-party firms, denying any conflicts of interest.
- Ethics experts and policing analysts raised concerns about the timing of Trump's stock purchase and the ICE contract notice, citing the appearance of impropriety.
- Axon's stock rose after both Trump's investment and the ICE notice, potentially netting the president significant gains.
- Axon has significantly increased its lobbying efforts in Washington, advocating for federal law enforcement technology contracts, including body cameras.
- The proposed ICE Taser deal is seen by some as part of the Trump administration's broader immigration enforcement agenda, potentially expanding Axon's surveillance capabilities.
- A shareholder lawsuit was filed against Axon concerning disclosure of its political spending, with critics highlighting the company's substantial political expenditures to influence legislation and contracts.