Trump's potential Truth Social earnout is an avenue for outside interests if he becomes president, experts say

• Donald Trump is set to see an earnout of over 35 million shares from his Trump Media holding company over the next year that would coincide with him potentially being president.
• The schedule of Trump's financial earnings could lead to either foreign or domestic interests potentially investing in the company as a way to try to pressure and sway Trump while he is commander in chief, experts say.
• Trump Media disclosed that it had a net loss of $58 million in 2023.

Donald Trump's scheduled earnout through the parent company of Truth Social presents opportunities for outside interests if he were to defeat Joe Biden and become president again, according to experts.

Trump, who owns more than 50% of Trump Media and Technology Group's outstanding shares, is set to see an earnout of over 35 million shares from the holding company over at least the next year that could coincide with him potentially being president, according to a new disclosure filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission. That schedule of Trump's financial earnings could lead to either foreign or domestic interests potentially investing in the company as a way to try to pressure and sway Trump while he's commander in chief, the experts explained.

"I have a number of concerns," said Virginia Canter, the chief ethics counsel for the watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

"Obviously, I would be most concerned about foreign interests that make significant investments in his company with an expectation that they will be given some sort of favored treatment when the need arises — even if it would threaten U.S. national security interests and historical alliances," Canter said.

A spokesman for Trump said in a statement that the former president