트럼프 일가, AI·반도체·데이터센터 전방위 투자…“이해충돌 우려”

Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, has strongly opposed his son Donald Trump Jr. and grandson Eric Trump's investments in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, as well as concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest. According to a report by The Washington Post, the three Trump family members made extensive investments in various companies and ventures related to AI, semiconductor technology, and data centers following Trump's departure from the White House.

The report analyzed Trump's financial disclosure records and company announcements, revealing that after his return to the White House, approximately 30,000 stock transactions were reported in his investment accounts. Many of these transactions involved companies that produce semiconductors and servers essential for AI development, such as Delta Technology, Micron Technology, General Electric, Brocade, Texas Instruments, and Supermicro.

Donald Trump Jr., who co-founded venture capital firm 1789 Capital with his brother, made investments in AI semiconductor companies such as Serelbras and Perplexity, as well as Elon Musk's AI startup xAI. Eric Trump, through his investment company American Ventures, also invested in Space Island, a company that analyzes incoming information from satellites and sensors using artificial intelligence.

The two brothers also merged American Data Centers with American BitCoin, a company involved in virtual asset mining, which connected to a large-scale data center project.

David Ingles, a White House spokesman, stated to The Washington Post that Trump's investments are managed by independent asset managers and follow computer-based models that automatically adjust portfolios based on indices like the S&P 500. He added that neither Trump nor any family members can interfere with individual stock trades or investment decisions.

The Trumps are excluded from the conflict of interest law applicable to general administrative officials, meaning there is no legal obligation for them to sell their assets or transfer them to a formal trust. However, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has indicated that the Trump administration's adherence to the conflict of interest law constitutes a consistent policy.

The OGE has previously suggested that presidents should either sell or place assets in a formal trust to manage potential conflicts of interest. While Trump may not personally select individual investment portfolios, his disclosed transactions would reveal his investment activities.