After CBS inquiry, White House restores page listing financial disclosures

Page went offline Friday

The White House page listing financial forms for President Trump and senior officials stopped working Friday afternoon, with no explanation. CBS News’ automated monitor found the page functioning at 3:01 p.m., then received a 404 error at 3:31 p.m. The documents themselves remained online.

CBS News contacted the White House about the page’s removal while preparing a report. The monitor detected that the page had returned between 4:31 and 5:01 p.m. Its source code listed a publish time of 5 p.m. ET.

Stock report added to page

When the page returned, it listed a new report on the president’s stock trades, signed Sept. 17. The report had been available on the Office of Government Ethics website since Oct. 8.

White House server data showed the file was uploaded at 3:14 p.m. The White House has previously posted stock reports within days of their appearance on the agency’s site.

Disclosure rules and records

Financial disclosures are required under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, while periodic stock reports are required by the 2012 STOCK Act. The president and vice president submit reports to the Office of Government Ethics.

Reports from senior White House aides and Senate-confirmed officials are also sent to the agency. The president’s disclosures have revealed thousands of stock transactions by his accounts since the start of the year, including trades involving companies with government business or exposure to his policies.

White House position

The White House has said the president does not manage his portfolio. It says outside financial advisers handle his money.