Trump’s Kura Sushi Investment Sends Shares Higher
President Donald Trump has made an unexpected addition to his investment portfolio, purchasing a sizable stake in Kura Sushi USA, the Irvine-based conveyor-belt sushi chain known for its robot servers and anime-inspired dining experience.
According to financial disclosures released this week and reported by Bloomberg, Trump acquired between $1 million and $5 million in Kura Sushi USA shares earlier this year. News of the investment sparked immediate interest, sending the company’s stock up more than 5%.
Kura Sushi USA, a subsidiary of Japan-based Kura Sushi, operates numerous locations across the Los Angeles area, including Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Glendale, Torrance and Sherman Oaks. The chain has become popular for its “revolving sushi” concept, where dishes move through the restaurant on conveyor belts while customers can also order directly through touchscreen tablets. Special orders are delivered through a separate express system often referred to as a “bullet train.”
The brand promotes its dining model as “eater-tainment,” blending Japanese cuisine with interactive entertainment. Customers can earn anime-themed prizes after finishing a certain number of plates, while robotic servers sometimes deliver drinks. Its menu features traditional items such as bluefin tuna and salmon roe alongside more unconventional offerings like cod fish tacos and crispy rice hot dogs.
Founded in Japan in 1977, Kura Sushi has expanded steadily in the United States, with analysts highlighting strong recent performance, particularly in California where casual Japanese dining remains highly popular.
Trump’s broader financial disclosures also revealed extensive trading activity involving major companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Amazon during the first quarter. Representatives for the Trump Organization reiterated that the president’s investments are overseen independently by third-party financial institutions, with no involvement from Trump, his family or the company in individual trading decisions.
The investment generated conversation internationally as well, with social media users in Japan joking about whether Trump had ever eaten sushi. Shares of Kura Sushi’s Japanese parent company also climbed following reports of the purchase.
