Trump White House Accused Of Privately Tipping Off Wall Street Execs On India Trade Talks, Report Sparks Transparency Concerns

The President Donald Trump administration is under scrutiny after Charles Gasparino reported on Thursday that high-ranking Wall Street executives are receiving inside updates on international trade talks.

What Happened: Gasparino, a Senior Correspondent at Fox Business, posted on X that "people inside the Trump White House are alerting Wall Street execs they are nearing an agreement in principle on trade with India."

Gasparino said that his sources are "senior Wall Street execs with ties to the White House" and that the India deal could be used as a model for negotiations with other countries like Japan.

Gasparino went on to add: "No details on timing, and recall that we have been here before with Japan only to have the goal posts changed, and terms renegotiated. But if this holds, the India deal being envisioned will include agreed upon goals, and issues that have been addressed and resolved as well as a deadline for the fully-baked trade pact."

SCOOP: People inside the Trump White House are alerting Wall Street execs they are nearing an agreement in principle on trade with India, according to my sources who are senior Wall Street execs w ties to the White House. No details on timing, and recall that we have been here…

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) April 24, 2025

When Bloomberg's Joe Weisenthal raised questions about its significance, he wrote: "Isn't the big story that The White House gives Wall Street executives early heads up on trade negotiations, rather than the existence of the deals themselves?"

Meanwhile, The Financial Times reported that Apple Inc. AAPL intends to shift all iPhone assembly for the U.S. market to India, beginning next year. The move is part of a broader supply chain overhaul triggered by trade tensions with China. The company reportedly wants to fulfill all U.S. orders—over 60 million iPhones every year—from Indian factories by the end of 2026.

The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.

See Also: The Turn Of The Screw. JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Warns Trump Trade War Could See The U.S. Lose Credibility

Why It Matters: The conjunction of these developments indicates the increasing convergence of trade policy, corporate tactics, and political influence.

Gasparino drew attention to the peculiarity of the authorization. Numerous X users expressed concerns regarding transparency in response to his report, but Gasparino stated that this did not amount to insider trading.

James is wrong here from an insider trading standpoint True both involve material non public information. But as in the financial crisis info, the trade stuff doesn't violate any court precedent on the misappropriation theory, which he obviously doesnt understand https://t.co/dJJM97BK7O

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) April 24, 2025

Apple's decision shows how U.S. businesses are coping with geopolitical pressures. The company's new strategy consolidates its Indian operations, despite ongoing reliance on components from China.

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