The White House warns staff against using policy insights for prediction market bets.

ChainCatcher report, according to the WSJ, just hours after President Trump unexpectedly announced a pause in strikes against Iran last month, the White House warned staff not to abuse their positions to place bets on prediction markets. According to knowledgeable sources, the White House Office of Management issued this warning on March 23. Earlier that day, Trump announced the decision to suspend airstrikes via Truth Social. Approximately 15 minutes before the sudden policy shift, a surge of mysterious trading activity occurred in the futures market; according to Dow Jones market data, over $760 million worth of oil futures contracts changed hands in less than two minutes. More recently, three accounts on the Polymarket platform profited over $600,000 by accurately predicting the timing of this week’s ceasefire in Iran. Trump’s critics, including many Democrats, immediately concluded that someone had profited from advance knowledge of the policy change. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the warning; Trump’s spokesperson Ingle stated: “The only special interest guiding President Trump’s decisions is the greatest interest of the American people.”