Kalshi
PolymarketKalshi hired Donald Trump Jr. as a paid strategic adviser in January 2025. Months later, Polymarket brought him on as an investor and advisory board member, with his firm 1789 Capital injecting 'double-digit millions.' Both companies now benefit from Trump administration protection: the CFTC withdrew rules that would have restricted their offerings, filed briefs asserting federal preemption over states trying to ban them, and appointed both CEOs to a new Innovation Advisory Committee with no consumer advocates represented. An anonymous user's $400,000 windfall betting on Maduro's capture hours before the raid has drawn scrutiny—but given Trump Jr.'s dual role, experts question whether regulators will investigate.
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How to submitWhy this is Complicity
Kalshi and Polymarket made deliberate choices to bring the president's son into their orbit—knowing his involvement would create the appearance of favorable treatment from federal regulators. These aren't passive beneficiaries of a friendly administration; they actively cultivated financial ties to the First Family while facing existential regulatory battles. The companies chose access over independence.