US EditionPete Hegseth’s broker attempted to make defense investments before Iran war: Financial Times
The proposed trade fell through because the fund was not yet available to Morgan Stanley clients, while the Pentagon called the report false.
- The Financial Times reported Tuesday that a broker for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to purchase BlackRock's Defense Industrials Active ETF in February, shortly before the US-Israeli military action against Iran.
- That investment attempt failed because the fund, which launched in May 2025, was not available for Morgan Stanley clients at the time.
- BlackRock's $3.1 billion equity fund focuses on companies benefiting from increased government security spending, with top holdings in RTX Corp, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.
- Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell dismissed the report as "entirely false and fabricated," stating neither Hegseth nor his representatives approached the firm.
- The report emerges amid wider scrutiny of well-timed trades in prediction and financial markets, as experts raise questions about information potentially leaking ahead of major policy decisions by President Donald Trump's administration.
100 Articles
100 Articles
Has the U.S. Secretary of Defense mixed his own interests with those of his country? The Financial Times assures on Tuesday that a wealth management advisor from Pete Hegseth tried to invest for him in defence companies, just before the U.S. and Israel launched the war in the Middle East.
Corruption? Secretary Of War Tried To Make A "Defense Investment" Before Bombing Iran
Before the United States bombed Iran on February 28th, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, tried to make a "defense investment." Hegseth's broker sought to make a large investment in major defense companies in the lead-up to the Iran war, and the Pentagon has dismissed this allegation as false.
Hegseth's broker tried to buy millions in defense stocks before Iran attack
Before the United States launched military strikes against Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's broker at Morgan Stanley contacted BlackRock about making a "multimillion-dollar investment" in BlackRock's Defense Industrials Active ETF — a fund that tracks weapons and military contractors, according to Reuters, citing a Financial Times report. — Read the rest The post Hegseth's broker tried to buy millions in defense stocks before Iran attack a…
Insider knowledge for private enrichment: The US Secretary of Defense broker is said to have tried to invest in the armaments industry before the start of the Iran war.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
