United States Representative Josh Gottheimer has executed a stock trade in the energy sector likely to raise questions regarding the timing.
Specifically, filings indicate that the lawmaker purchased shares of ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) in early February 2026, just weeks before U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran escalated into open conflict, sending oil prices soaring and sparking a rally in energy stocks.
According to periodic transaction reports filed on March 16, 2026, Gottheimer bought between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of ExxonMobil on February 2, 2026, followed by an additional purchase of the same amount on February 4, 2026.
Since the trades, the politician is up about 17% on the February 2 purchase and 9% on the February 4 buy. By press time, XOM shares were trading at $160, having rallied by over 30% year to date.
Notably, the Congress trade occurred roughly three to four weeks before the conflict intensified in late February 2026, when joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets began.
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Energy stock rally
The escalation disrupted key shipping routes, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical pathway for about 20% of global oil and LNG flows, and triggered retaliatory actions that heightened supply concerns.
In the wake of the Iran conflict, energy stocks and oil prices rallied sharply. Crude benchmarks, including Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate, climbed significantly amid fears of prolonged disruptions, with prices pushing above $100 per barrel at their peaks.
U.S. energy majors like ExxonMobil benefited as investors bet on sustained higher oil prices, with the stock and its peers posting notable gains in the following weeks despite initial market volatility.
While broader markets faced pressure from the geopolitical shock, domestic energy producers with limited Middle East exposure saw windfalls tied to the oil-price surge.
Gottheimer also made other notable transactions, including sales of Fair Isaac (NYSE: FICO), Cloudflare (NYSE: NET), Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), Carvana (NYSE: CVNA), Visa (NYSE: V), and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).
Purchases listed were Merck (NYSE: MRK), Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST), Cummins (NYSE: CMI), GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV), UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), and Federal Signal (NYSE: FSS).
All trades fell within the standard $1,001–$15,000 reporting range required under the STOCK Act.
As things stand, no allegations of wrongdoing have been made, and such trades are not uncommon among members of Congress.
Featured image via Shutterstock
