Let's talk about the White House warning staffers about prediction markets.... Belle of the Ranch

[TexasTowelie]

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about the White House warning staffers about prediction markets.

We've mentioned how there have been a number of situations in which it appears that Trump world insiders are using their access to sensitive information to make moves in the futures markets or on prediction markets. Now, obviously, there are massive ethical concerns and potential legal ones, but there's also the concern that once accounts are identified as being linked to Trump world and that the people behind those accounts have sensitive information, foreign intelligence services could utilize that information to predict US troop movements, military actions, trade moves, and foreign policy moves.

True to Trump fashion, the White House appears focused on the money, not the potential risk to US forces or position in the world. An email from the White House management office said, "All White House employees are reminded that the misuse of non-public information by government employees for financial benefit is a very serious offense and will not be tolerated."

The email notes that the concerns were raised by media reports about suspicious bets and moves. "Recent press reports have raised concerns about government officials using non-public government information to place wagers on online prediction markets such as Kalshi or Polymarket.”

It's cute that they're worried about non-public information when there's the national defense information concern, too.

White House spokesperson David Engel said President Trump has been crystal clear. While he seeks a strong and profitable stock market for everyone, members of Congress and other government officials should be prohibited from using non-public information for financial benefit. The only special interest that will ever guide President Trump is the best interests of the American people.

Sure, Jan. It's not like you can draw a direct line from most of Trump's decisions to a recent meeting with somebody who benefits from that decision or anything.

I feel like if he was guided by the interests of the American people, he wouldn't be running a government-wide effort to make America more reliant on dirty, obsolete energy that costs more and creates a situation where the American people end up in some foreign land getting shot at. Or maybe he wouldn't be stripping away food assistance and health care from working-class Americans to give billionaires tax breaks. Or maybe he wouldn't be undermining longtime American institutions so his friends can make a short-term profit.

Just saying.

This thing with the prediction markets is going to be one of those persistent stories that continues to go on in the background until it suddenly reaches a climax because the odds are that the warning will be ignored because Trump's staff don't actually respect him. They view him as somebody to be handled, not somebody to follow.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.