<p>A year after President <strong>Donald Trump</strong> returned to the White House, seven stocks in the Russell 1000 ETF have delivered staggering returns, each topping 200% gains.</p>



<p>The performance table reads like a mood board for the market narrative of the past year: space, defense, AI supply constraints, precious metals and a national-security scramble for critical minerals.</p>



<h3>7) MP Materials: Rare Earths Become A National Security Matter</h3>



<p><strong>MP Materials Corp. </strong>(NYSE:MP) has rallied 225.84% since Jan. 20, 2025, as Washington got directly involved in the rare-earth business. </p>



<p>In July 2025, the Department of Defense would become MP's largest shareholder under a deal to boost U.S. rare earth magnet supply.</p>



<p>The market repriced MP as strategic infrastructure rather than a cyclical materials producer.</p>



<h3>6) Western Digital: The Memory Market Turned Scarce Again</h3>



<p><strong>Western Digital Corp. </strong>(NYSE:WDC) and other storage makers have sharply rallied as AI data centers turned storage into a major supply constraint. Shares of WDC have risen nearly 245% over the past year as cloud providers ramped up demand for high-capacity enterprise storage, tightening supply and improving pricing.</p>



<h3>5) Micron Technology: The New AI Winner</h3>



<p>Also, <strong>Micron Technology Inc.</strong> (NASDAQ:MU) became a poster child for the &#34;AI memory crunch,&#34; with shares rallying over 250% since Trump’s return to the Oval Office.  </p>



<p>High-bandwidth memory (HBM) became scarce, pricing power returned, and supply couldn't respond fast enough. Micron moved from commodity exposure to scarcity-driven infrastructure, benefiting directly from AI training and inference workloads.</p>



<h3>4) Lumentum: AI Data Centers Needed More Light</h3>



<p><strong>Lumentum Holdings Inc.</strong> (NASDAQ:LITE) has soared 277% over the past year as demand for high-speed optical components — key to connecting AI accelerators and massive data flows in next-generation data centers — exploded.</p>



<p>Strong earnings beats and guidance tied to AI infrastructure buildouts reinforced the thesis that photonics are becoming mission-critical. The market now treats Lumentum as an essential AI backbone play rather than a traditional networking supplier.</p>



<h3>3) Anglo Ashanti: Gold Fever Is Back</h3>



<p><strong>Anglo Ashanti plc</strong> (NYSE:AU) ranked among the top-performing gold miners over the past year, with shares surging more than 280% as the precious-metals rally accelerated. </p>



<p>Gold reasserted its role as a preferred safe-haven amid macro uncertainty, shifting interest-rate expectations and elevated geopolitical risk, with prices climbing more than 70% over the past year. </p>



<p>The powerful move across the complex — with silver up more than 200% over the same period — translated directly into a sharp re-rating of gold miners, amplifying equity gains through operating leverage.</p>



<h3>2) Rocket Lab: Defense Money Met Space Hardware</h3>



<p><strong>Rocket Lab Inc.</strong> (NASDAQ:RKLB) rallied 290% as its space systems business pulled in large government work.</p>



<p>In December 2025, Rocket Lab announced a $816 million prime contract to build a missile-defense satellite constellation for the U.S. Space Force through the Space Development Agency. </p>



<h3><strong>1) AST SpaceMobile</strong>: The ‘Direct-to-Cell’ Dream Got Real</h3>



<p>Shares of <strong>AST SpaceMobile</strong> <strong>Inc.</strong> (NASDAQ:ASTS) have exploded by 450% as the company pushes to build a global, direct‑to‑phone satellite broadband network. </p>



<p>Investor enthusiasm was further fueled by high-profile partnerships with wireless carriers and AST's role as a prime contractor for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD program, linked to the Trump administration's Golden Dome defense initiative. </p>



<p>The combination of commercial telecom upside and defense-backed funding positioned AST at the intersection of national security, space infrastructure, and next-generation connectivity. </p>



<p><em>Photo: Shutterstock</em></p>

<p>Seven stocks in the Russell 1000 ETF have surged over 200% since Trump's return to the White House, driven by trends in AI, defense, space, and precious metals. Notable performers include AST SpaceMobile (up 450%), Rocket Lab (290%), and Anglo Ashanti (280%). MP Materials, Western Digital, Micron Technology, and Lumentum also saw significant gains, reflecting a shift towards strategic sectors amid national security concerns and AI demand.</p>

- Seven stocks in the Russell 1000 ETF have reported gains exceeding 200% since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.  
- Notable performers include AST SpaceMobile (450% increase) and MP Materials (225.84%), benefiting from national security involvement and increased demand in sectors like space, AI, and precious metals.  
- Overall, these stocks reflect a market shift towards strategic infrastructure driven by geopolitical and technological developments.

These 7 Stocks Rallied More Than 200% Since Trump's Inauguration Day