Democratic Representative Condemns Trump Jr.-Affiliated Firm for 'Repugnant' Bet on U.S. Pilot's Survival

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) unleashed criticism on Polymarket, a prediction market platform backed by Donald Trump Jr., for permitting wagers on the fate of American pilots shot down over Iran. This occurred on Friday, igniting outrage over the ethical implications of such betting.

“They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member. And people are betting on whether or not they’ll be saved,” Moulton expressed on X, labeling the situation as “DISGUSTING.”

One pilot from the downed F-15 was successfully rescued during a perilous operation in Iran, while efforts continue for the second crew member, whose fate remains uncertain as of this report.

Reports from the Fars News Agency indicated that a reward has been offered for capturing “enemy pilot or pilots,” further complicating the already tense situation.

Following the incident, bettors on Polymarket were able to place wagers on when the pilot would be rescued, with a market titled “US confirms pilots rescued by...?” available for a brief period before being removed after Moulton's outcry.

Polymarket issued an apology, stating, “We took this market down immediately as it does not meet our integrity standards. It should not have been posted, and we are investigating how this slipped through our internal safeguards.”

However, Moulton dismissed the platform’s apology in a follow-up post on X, highlighting that “there are still 219 war bets active on” Polymarket.

“Your integrity standards are severely lacking, @Polymarket. Users are still able to place bets on the lives of our troops — here’s what your Iran tab looks like right now,” he added.

Moulton urged Polymarket to take immediate action against the remaining bets, stating, “Taking down this particular bet after I called it out can only be the first step. Remove these immediately: https://t.co/ql0wNpMOBd.”

He also raised concerns about Trump Jr.'s involvement, suggesting that he “is an investor in this dystopian death market and may have access to intelligence that isn’t public yet.”

In addition to his investment role, Trump Jr. serves as a strategic advisor to Polymarket.

The platform has faced scrutiny from both sides of the political aisle, with lawmakers proposing various measures to regulate prediction market gambling.

Moulton, who recently prohibited his staff from engaging in prediction market betting, warned that these markets have “become a playground for corrupt insiders who are able to place bets on things like election outcomes, wars, and even the deaths of public figures.”

“This is creating a perverse incentive structure that poses a genuine threat to American society today,” he concluded.