Sen. John Curtis Calls for Probe Into Trump Jr.'s Prediction Market Ties

Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate presidents' family members who've used their access for financial gain, including Donald Trump Jr. and his ties to prediction markets. Curtis also pointed out how the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has been favorable since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025.

Trump Jr. is a partner at 1789 Capital, and they helped raise $1 billion for Polymarket. Trump Jr. has also served as an advisor for Kalshi since a week before President Trump took office. 

In his comments, Curtis also mentioned Trump Jr.'s ventures into international real estate and crypto, too. 

“This pattern extends to his significant financial and advisory ties to prediction-market platforms that depend on favorable federal regulatory decisions being considered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission,” Curtis wrote.

Mere days after President Trump returned to the Oval Office, Kalshi self-certified sports event contracts for that Super Bowl, and sports prediction markets have become even more popular since. 

Curtis Calls for Trump Jr., Hunter Biden Subpoenas

The letter from Curtis was sent to Chairman Charles Grassley and Ranking Member Richard Durbin, and it's all based around “members of presidential families using their names and proximity to the President to advance private business interests," which not only includes Trump Jr., but also Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden. 

Curtis says these family members' dealings may not have been in the best interest of the American people and that their activities “could even create national security vulnerabilities.”

“As part of that investigation, I urge the Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden to testify regarding their past business dealings, relationships with foreign individuals and entities, gifts, or other benefits they have received, and any instances in which their relationship to the President was invoked or understood to provide value,” Curtis wrote.

Trump Jr.'s Prediction Market Ties Draw Scrutiny

Trump Jr. not only helped Polymarket's latest round of funding, but he also sits on the company's advisory board. As mentioned, Trump Jr. was also affiliated with Kalshi and received $300,000 in equity from the company in January 2025. 

The New York Times has also reported that Trump Jr. told Republican Attorney Generals that prediction market platforms should be overseen by the CFTC, not state attorneys general. 

Additionally, Trump Jr. is on the Board of directors of Trump Media, which originally planned to launch a prediction market platform but instead opted for a marketing deal with Crypto.com.