Big Tech Gets the Boot

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is apparently done chasing the Magnificent 7 rally. While other members of Congress pile into tech's biggest names, Tuberville went the opposite direction in December, unloading Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) shares and rotating into something considerably less exciting: sector ETFs.

According to recent financial disclosures, here's what the Alabama senator sold on December 17:

• $50,000 to $100,000 in Apple (AAPL) stock
• $1,000 to $15,000 in Alphabet (GOOGL) stock

And here's what he bought the same day:

• $15,000 to $50,000 in State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP)
• $15,000 to $50,000 in State Street Utilities Select SPDR ETF (XLU)
• $15,000 to $50,000 in State Street Health Care Select SPDR ETF (XLV)

A Pattern Emerges

This wasn't a one-time thing. Tuberville has been systematically backing away from the Magnificent 7 throughout 2025. He previously sold Apple and Alphabet shares in both October and April, plus another Apple sale in January. He also dumped Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) stock three times during the year—in October, April, and January.

The irony? Alphabet was actually the best-performing Magnificent 7 stock in 2025, surging 65.2%. Apple and Microsoft posted more modest gains of 11.5% and 15.5%, respectively, both trailing the broader S&P 500. So Tuberville wasn't exactly selling winners here.

Meanwhile, his new ETF picks delivered steadier, if unspectacular, returns over the past year: consumer staples up 6.7%, utilities up 10.0%, and healthcare up 10.9%.

Reading the Tea Leaves

What's the play here? The shift from growth tech to defensive sectors suggests Tuberville might be anticipating market volatility or slower growth ahead. Consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare are classic defensive bets—the stuff people need regardless of economic conditions.

It's worth noting that Tuberville sits on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which makes the healthcare ETF purchase particularly interesting. He's bought consumer staples and utility stocks before, but the healthcare sector bet could signal something more specific.

A Trading History Worth Watching

Tuberville's stock moves have raised eyebrows before, and not just because of their timing. In 2024, he was actively trading options on multiple tech stocks. He also bought shares of small biotech Humacyte Inc., a move that attracted attention given his seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the company's work testing technology on combat injuries in Ukraine.

The senator has been flagged for unusual trading patterns multiple times. He bought Intel stock before the CHIPS Act passed and scooped up ChannelAdvisor shares just days before the company announced an acquisition. He also purchased stock in regional bank Southern States Bancshares Inc., whose CEO happened to be a donor to his Senate campaign.

Then there's the disclosure issue. Business Insider previously reported that Tuberville was late disclosing approximately 130 stock trades from January to May 2021. The New York Times also highlighted that he bought or sold stock and options in 17 companies that had business before Senate committees where he served.

Tuberville remains one of the most active traders in Congress, and his latest pivot from Big Tech to boring ETFs is just the newest chapter in a trading history that's anything but dull.