Hegseth bans Pentagon staff betting on US military ops
The ban follows a US Army Special Forces soldier charged over alleged Venezuela op bets on Polymarket.
The hit
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has banned all Pentagon personnel from using nonpublic information to bet on US military operations, according to a memo obtained by CBS News. The ban covers classified & unclassified information & all platforms, including Polymarket & Kalshi, with administrative, disciplinary or criminal action threatened for breaches.
Why it matters
Hegseth warned that financial transactions on military outcomes create signals foreign intelligence services can exploit. The memo also flags fears that betting on strike dates could distort military judgement among staff.
The record
| Memo date | Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Platforms named | Polymarket & Kalshi |
| Soldier charged | A US Army Special Forces soldier, charged in April by the Justice Department |
| Bets placed | 13 bets worth $33,034 combined on US military involvement in Venezuela in late December, according to the indictment |
| Alleged profit | $409,881 from bets tied to the 3 January operation |
What happens next
Watch for the soldier’s case to proceed through the courts & for any disciplinary or criminal action taken under the new Pentagon memo.
Sources: Hegseth bans troops from betting military operation with Polymarket
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