CNN’s data chief admits US stocks are up ‘like a rocket’ under Trump — suggests Democrats don’t want to talk about it

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.

The U.S. stock market has been on a tear — and even critics are starting to acknowledge it.

During a recent broadcast, Harry Enten, chief data analyst at CNN, described the current rally in striking terms.

"It's a success story if you're in the White House right now," Enten said, pointing to how the S&P 500 has performed during Trump's second term (1). "This stock market has been up like a rocket."

- Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how

- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s how to fix it ASAP

- The IRS usually taxes gold as a collectible — but this little-known strategy lets you hold physical bullion tax-free. Get your free guide from Priority Gold

Backing that up, Enten highlighted data showing the S&P 500 is up about 19% at this stage of Trump's current term — a gain that stands well above historical norms.

"That is higher than the average president since 2001, when it was up 15%, and way, way higher than the average presidency since 1961, [when it was ] up 6%," he said.

CNN's on-screen graphics also noted that stocks outperformed long-term averages during Trump's first term, reinforcing the trend.

Given that backdrop, Enten suggested it's "no wonder" the president likes to highlight the market's strength — while his opponents may be less eager to focus on it.

"When the stock market is up, perhaps Democrats don't want to talk about it nearly as much," he said.

For his part, Trump has repeatedly pointed to equities as a measure of economic health. During one rally, he said, "The only thing that's really going up big? It's called the stock market and your 401(k)s (2)."

Investor sentiment, at least among those already in the market, appears to reflect that optimism.

"Stock owners who say that investing $1,000 in the market right now is a good idea — you see the majority of them, 52% say it's a good idea," Enten said, referencing results of a recent Gallup poll. "I will even note that even 41% of Democrats, or lean Democrats, who are in the stock market currently say it's a good idea to continue to invest."

Read More: Robert Kiyosaki warned of a 'Greater Depression' — with millions of Americans going poor. Was he right?

Still, strong markets don't eliminate risk — they can sometimes make it easier to overlook it.

As legendary investor Warren Buffett once put it, "Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked."

In other words, periods of rapid gains can make it easy to overlook weak spots in a portfolio — or to take on more risk than you realize.

That's especially relevant today. When stocks are climbing "like a rocket," as Enten described, it can be tempting to go all-in or chase what's working. But history shows that even the strongest rallies can cool off — sometimes quickly.

And beneath the surface, not all signals are as upbeat. In the same Gallup poll Enten referenced, the Economic Confidence Index fell to -38 in April from -27 in March, as Americans grew more negative about both current conditions and the economy's direction — the lowest reading since November 2023 (3).

For investors trying to navigate that balance, you don't have to do it alone.

Research suggests that working with a financial advisor can add as much as 4.87% in annual value — through a combination of thoughtful asset allocation, personalized planning, tax-aware strategies and, perhaps most importantly, helping investors avoid costly behavioral mistakes (4).

If you're unsure about where to start, it might be the right time to get in touch with a financial advisor through Advisor.com.

Advisor.com is an online platform that matches you with vetted financial advisors suited to your needs. They can help tailor a strategy to your particular financial situation, whether you're looking to grow your wealth through market exposure, generate income or plan for long-term financial security.

Once you're matched with an advisor, you can book a free consultation with no obligation to hire.

To be sure, the upward momentum of the U.S. stock market has created enormous wealth for long-term investors — a point Buffett has repeatedly emphasized.

In his 2016 letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett wrote, "American business – and consequently a basket of stocks – is virtually certain to be worth far more in the years ahead (5)."

And crucially, investors don't need to be expert stock pickers to participate.

"In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund," Buffett has famously stated (6). This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America's largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.

The beauty of this approach is its accessibility — anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.

Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: link your cards, and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio.

With Acorns, you can invest in an S&P 500 ETF with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today with a recurring investment, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

For investors interested in individual stocks, research tools like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest.

In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby's recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.

Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.

Market rallies can be powerful — but they're rarely a one-way street.

That's why many investors look beyond stocks when building a portfolio, especially after strong runs. Diversification isn't about predicting what comes next — it's about being prepared for it.

One asset that often comes up in that conversation is gold.

According to Ray Dalio, founder of the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, it's a piece many investors still overlook.

"People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio," he told CNBC last year. "When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier."

Long seen as the ultimate safe haven, gold isn't tied to any single country, currency or economy. It can't be created at will by central banks like fiat money, and in times of economic turmoil, market turbulence or geopolitical uncertainty, investors tend to pile in — driving up its value.

Despite a recent pullback, gold prices have surged by more than 40% over the last 12 months.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Goldco.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, thereby combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it a compelling potential option for those wanting to ensure their retirement funds are diversified during rough economic times.

Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.

Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

CNN (1); YouTube (2); Gallup (3); Russell Investments (4); Berkshire Hathaway (5); CNBC (6)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.