Donald Trump Jr., who started as a paid strategic advisor for Kalshi in January 2025, is now positioned to benefit financially from the CFTC-regulated prediction market platform as it marches toward what could be a lucrative IPO.
The arrangement raises pointed questions about conflicts of interest, particularly given that President Trump has publicly backed the prediction market industry during heated regulatory fights with state governments trying to classify these platforms as gambling operations.
The Trump family’s prediction market portfolio
Trump Jr. was appointed as a strategic advisor to Kalshi on January 13, 2025. It came shortly after he publicly praised Kalshi’s accuracy during the 2024 presidential election, effectively giving the platform a high-profile endorsement before formalizing the relationship.
Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm, 1789 Capital, made an estimated double-digit million dollar investment in Polymarket, Kalshi’s primary rival, in August 2025. Trump Jr. subsequently took on an advisory role at Polymarket as well.
