Here are the lawmakers who have purchased stocks in defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX since President Trump's election win

A new report from Sludge examines how members of Congress traded stocks in major defense contractors in the months following President Trump’s 2024 election victory. The analysis draws on disclosure data compiled by Capitol Trades.

In the weeks following Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, at least 19 members of Congress reported buying stocks in major defense contractors - many of which were directly involved in the Trump administration’s unauthorized military strike on Iran, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer. The air and missile assault targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and deployed hundreds of U.S. aircraft, Boeing-made “bunker buster” bombs, RTX-manufactured Tomahawk missiles, and General Dynamics submarines. Just prior to the operation, the administration submitted a record-breaking Pentagon budget request exceeding $1 trillion for the first time.

According to a Sludge investigation using Capitol Trades data, the lawmakers’ purchases were concentrated in firms that rank among the top 100 global defense contractors. All but one of the 19 still held their positions at the time of their most recent financial filings. Many trades occurred during a period of escalating tensions in the Middle East, and defense stocks such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin saw gains, particularly after Israel launched its own strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment infrastructure on June 13.

The report also notes that dozens of other lawmakers already held positions in defense firms prior to the election. Meanwhile, legislative efforts to reassert congressional control over military actions have faced resistance, with House Speaker Mike Johnson recently stating he would not bring a War Powers Resolution - introduced in response to the Iran strike - to a vote, despite bipartisan support.