We’re thrilled to share a major victory: yesterday, the White House officially withdrew Brian Quintenz’s nomination to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

In June, we began sounding the alarm about this concerning nomination. By September, we took our message to Washington, D.C., and urged Sen. Tuberville—who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee—to vote “NO.”  Thankfully, no vote will be needed. The nomination has been withdrawn.

This is a huge win. Quintenz was widely considered a “shoe-in” for the role, but your calls, emails, and advocacy turned the tide. Grassroots voices made the difference.

Below, we’ve outlined the key reasons we opposed his nomination. Thank you for standing with us.

Reasons Eagle Forum Opposed Brian Quintenz for CFTC Chair

Conflict of Interest with Kalshi

• Quintenz sits on the board of Kalshi, a gambling company pushing for 24/7 betting on virtually anything (elections, sports, climate events).
• He defended Kalshi’s contracts as “legal” during his Senate hearing despite widespread opposition.

Undermines U.S. Gambling Protections

• Kalshi’s event contracts bypass state and federal gambling laws in all 50 states.
• 34 states have formally opposed Kalshi through an amicus brief.
• Quintenz has consistently supported Kalshi since his time as a CFTC commissioner.

Ties to Trump Family & Special Interests

• Donald Trump Jr. was hired as a Kalshi adviser just before Trump’s inauguration.
• Quintenz’s nomination appears tied to these insider interests, raising ethical concerns.

Dangerous Economic Precedent

• Kalshi’s victories have opened the door for widespread, unregulated gambling — similar to the financial deregulation that fueled the 2008 financial crisis.
• Experts warn these “prediction markets” destabilize Wall Street norms and threaten U.S. economic security.

National Security Risk

• Expanding unregulated internet gambling creates a strategic economic threat, especially when combined with AI.
• Congress has repeatedly warned (1995 hearings, 1999 Gambling Impact Study Commission) that gambling expansion threatens U.S. economic national security.

Ignored Congressional Warnings

• In 2021, Congress and the CFTC opposed Kalshi’s proposals, but Quintenz sided with Kalshi.
• His leadership would likely further weaken regulatory protections and expand gambling nationwide.