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News & Current Events Mar 31, 2026 at 11:14 AM

US Defense Secretary Hegseth's broker looked to buy defense fund before Iran attack, FT reports

Posted by Dickle_Pizazz

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Key-Needleworker4633 Mar 31, 2026 +994
All of this is one continuous circle and it revolves around Trump and making money off whoever they can exploit.
994
ryno37 Mar 31, 2026 +314
And it's so needless at this point. You did it guys. Congrats. You successfully stole all of the money. You even made all of the money nearly worthless in the process. Can't you just be done and go away already?
314
the_nobodys Mar 31, 2026 +105
People don't judge their wealth by those beneath them, but by those who have more than them.
105
ryno37 Mar 31, 2026 +58
It's almost like you're saying they don't care about people who have less than them... And it's almost like, therefore they shouldn't be in charge of what happens to people.
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beadzy Mar 31, 2026 +9
no they care. it’s not about having the money. it’s about taking it from others
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Vallkyrie Mar 31, 2026 +2
And there's an interesting aspect of what they no longer care about; nations/borders. This class of people has so much money and influence they can pack up and set up shop anywhere on Earth.
2
Butt_Fungus_Among_Us Mar 31, 2026 +9
Dragon Sickness is a real thing
9
oneeighthirish Mar 31, 2026 +5
I'm pretty certain the wealthiest get off on the despair of the poor.
5
1HappyIsland Mar 31, 2026 +3
This is a wise comment in many ways. Thanks.
3
fundip12 Mar 31, 2026 +1
"I've never seen a hearse with a luggage rack on the roof" -Dr. Al Chadwick
1
NotYourAverageOctopi Mar 31, 2026 +11
Money is purely the means for power. Power means different things to us than it does to them. For us, money gives us the power of having security and personal freedoms to fulfill our individual wants / needs. For them, power is all of the above, plus the added element of being able to control others. This isn’t about money, so much that it is about the ability to leverage that money for power and control.
11
whooooshh Mar 31, 2026 +5
That's like asking a hoarder to stop acquiring new things. Hoarding is a recognized distinct mental health illness, and I don't see why it wouldn't apply to money.
5
MrWhatsitTouya Mar 31, 2026 +3
The let them walk would be a the biggest injustice and insult. They need to swing for all they’ve done 
3
MissMamaMam Mar 31, 2026 +2
Greed is a disease, man. I stg it has to be one of the worst bc the addiction **is** taking as much as you can from everybody else. This part makes my blood f****** boil. They are so rich they never have to work again and can live more comfortably than more than half of us. They can f*** off to a beach for the rest of their lives but they see we still have something… so they HAVE to take more and more. Ppl are starving, so stressed that they’re getting sick, one paycheck away from instability and these fuckers don’t even know the price of food. (Trump & his $10 banana)
2
Working_Pianist_9904 Mar 31, 2026 +2
And also turned most of the world against him in the process of him stealing all the oil, money and minerals
2
Perculsion Mar 31, 2026 +1
No, because now they have to stay in power to stay out of prison
1
Webecomemonsters Mar 31, 2026 +1
Soon. This is the part of the crime where they have to kill the victim to avoid consequences. Problem: Victim is everyone else on earth.
1
Morgannin09 Mar 31, 2026 +1
The grift will never end until they are in prison. Like hackers in an online video game, they won't stop unless they are made to stop, because getting away with it is the part that is so fun for them.
1
BlumbleBee123B Apr 1, 2026 +1
I’m sorry, what?
1
Sad-Excitement9295 Apr 1, 2026 +1
They plan to leave with the money while the country crashes, we need to jail them immediately.
1
Equivalent-Resort-63 Apr 1, 2026 +1
They are not done yet. Got another 2.5 plus years to make more $$ and f*** it up even more.
1
Future_Goat5665 Mar 31, 2026 +36
Yea but Hunter Biden made 7 million dollars! How dare the kid of a president make money off their relationship with the president!
36
lameth Mar 31, 2026 +22
I think one of the biggest problems is most people cannot fathom the magnitude of difference between millions and billions. Like, omg, it's the same thing! No, no it really isn't. You're talking about money that could swing economies.
22
Guilty-Carpenter2522 Mar 31, 2026 -8
How about they both get locked up?
-8
andrew303710 Mar 31, 2026 +13
How about no, the entire thing against Hunter Biden was literally manufactured by Fox News and the right wing outrage machine to distract from Trump being a pedo/felon and his family grifting billions. Hunter was never a government official and policy was never impacted. An email from Hunter stated that Burisma officials "need to know in no uncertain terms that we will not and cannot intervene directly with domestic policymakers, and that we need to abide by FARA and any other U.S. laws in the strictest sense across the board". Literally saying that Biden wouldn't allow them to influence peddle. A bit different from Jared Kushner working directly with Saudi Arabia, getting them to blockade Qatar to pressure them to bail out his DISASTROUS real estate investment (which they did). And then taking literal billions from Saudi Arabia before AND after working directly with them, resulting in the most friendly treatment of Saudi Arabia in US history despite them being behind the 9/11 attacks. Trump is out here selling pardons and having his moron nepo baby son in law incompently negotiate with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. While Don Jr. is running a grift literally named after the executive branch selling access for a million a pop. Painfully obvious that Hunter was all a distraction and so many morons fell for it. Remember that the DOJ is now working to release the Russian asset that gomer James Comer pumped up as the smoking gun against the Biden's, who ended up being charged for lying to the FBI and being fed info from Russian intelligence. Why do you think they're doing that?
13
Guilty-Carpenter2522 Mar 31, 2026 -22
lol ok buddy.  Your corrupt nepotistic dirtbags are good.  
-22
tehlemmings Apr 1, 2026 +3
You voted for a pedo. No one cares about your opinion anymore. We never will again.
3
Future_Goat5665 Mar 31, 2026 +3
Works for me. I have no particular affinity for any Biden, Obama, or Clinton.
3
Sandy-the-Gypsy777 Mar 31, 2026 +6
…and to think they jailed Martha Stewart over inside stock trading over basically nothing compared to any of this.
6
Sad-Excitement9295 Apr 1, 2026 +1
Exactly, and clearly congress is complicit and in on it. The real question now is who prosecutes them if the fed is all in on it? Clearly the military is "just following orders" Many people belong in jail, so in out legal system, who jails them? We can vote as a nation per the constitution, but who's to carry out official arrests if we want to avoid a full blown rebellion?
1
cohutta77 Mar 31, 2026 +392
This whole f****** administration belongs in prison.
392
Death-by-Fugu Mar 31, 2026 +109
Prison is too good for these traitors
109
Palsable_Celery Mar 31, 2026 +80
Swinging from a tree on the White House lawn would be a good start. 
80
BrokenPickle7 Mar 31, 2026 +12
i fully agree and support this idea
12
cedped Mar 31, 2026 +37
Prison is for CEOs who steal money. Politicians who play with the lives and livelihood of entire populations should get the death penalty.
37
hsadg Mar 31, 2026 +2
[ Removed by Listnook ]
2
sillyhillsofnz Mar 31, 2026 +11
I feel like in a just world something like the central part of the Republican party would be given RICO or domestic terrorism charges after is all said and done *if America survives this*. In an even more just world, this would all have been taken care of earlier and we wouldn't be in this situation, but the US's system of checks and balances has been shown to be fundamentally broken and the country is currently in a constitutional crisis that nobody want to acknowledge (and I imagine b/c what else are you gonna do - revolt?)
11
guaztronaut Mar 31, 2026 +9
The big prison under the golf course
9
Still-Cut1098 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Like he needs a larger tax writeoff.
2
Lopsided-Total-5560 Mar 31, 2026 -3
The last few administrations belong in prison. Until we stop our tribal political mindset and start holding everyone accountable, this bullshit is not only going to continue but accelerate.
-3
five3x11 Mar 31, 2026 -4
No no no, the answer is just blindly vote Democrat and magically we won't have problems anymore.
-4
supercyberlurker Mar 31, 2026 +680
The current head of the SEC is a Trump appointee. So don't expect any suspicious stock market patterns to be investigated by them. .. unless it's done by someone outside their conspiracy.
680
ImplodingBillionaire Mar 31, 2026 +142
Conservatism, two tenets: in-group protected, out-group bound. 
142
Streamjumper Mar 31, 2026 +28
"Don't make me tap the sign again!"
28
Miss_Speller Mar 31, 2026 +11
>Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: >There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect. >There is nothing more or else to it, and there never has been, in any place or time. [*Frank Wilhoit*](https://crookedtimber.org/2018/03/21/liberals-against-progressives/#comment-729288)
11
Mobile-Bar7732 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Great quote!
1
BloomsdayDevice Mar 31, 2026 +1
to f****** wit
1
nankerjphelge Mar 31, 2026 +53
Whomever the Democratic nominee is for 2028, they need to state that if elected one of the first things they'll do is empower the SEC and DOJ to prosecute every Trump associate who participated in these rampant insider corruption schemes and seek maximum prison time.
53
Reverend-Cleophus Mar 31, 2026 +12
Ehem, you forgot to mention that those ill gotten securities should also be seized.
12
Intrepid_Top_2300 Mar 31, 2026 +12
No, that’s what they need to do. Stating they will do that will insure a loss. We just need a strong leader with a backbone who will not be afraid to hold these and others to account!
12
nankerjphelge Mar 31, 2026 +4
I don't understand this statement. Of course they need to do it if elected, but are you saying that when campaigning for election they shouldn't say that's what they're going to do if elected, because if they promise that during the campaign they will lose?
4
Intrepid_Top_2300 Mar 31, 2026 +1
I just don’t think they should use it as a platform to get elected.
1
nankerjphelge Mar 31, 2026 +5
I completely disagree. I think not only is it vitally important for the public to know that Democrats are serious about holding criminals accountable, But in fact, a vast majority of Americans want to see this from their elected leaders. I think in fact the Democrats would be shooting themselves in the foot if they **didn't** talk about this in the campaign.
5
OddlyFactual1512 Mar 31, 2026 +4
Why would it ensure a loss? Good luck twisting yourself in knots attempting to justify that assertion. 
4
Durandal_Tycho Mar 31, 2026 +2
Probably groups of enriched individuals and businesses looking to stop any attempts at fixing corruption would fight that much harder if there was someone making it a campaign goal. See: Billionaires spending $500 million and more in California to fight the wealth tax that would primarily target them.
2
kentuckywildcats1986 Mar 31, 2026 +2
> Probably groups of enriched individuals and businesses looking to stop any attempts at fixing corruption would fight that much harder if there was someone making it a campaign goal. These assholes are going to fight as hard as they can against any candidate who is not already in their pocket anyway. Deferring to the heckler's veto is just typical complicit and cowardly Lib/Democrat bullshit. But the candidate being very clear that they are going to arrest and prosecute the Trump crime family and all their collaborators starting day one *will* bring out the vote from people who are completely done with this bullshit - including Biden's outrageous dereliction of office following the coup.
2
srilankan Mar 31, 2026 +2
so exactly what they are doing right now? what silly argument. we cant f*** with billionaires or they may do something. on top of what they are already doing? Let them at least do it openly.
2
Mobile-Bar7732 Mar 31, 2026 +2
No, they are saying not to mention during their campaign otherwise billionaires will pump money into the Democrats opponent and the Democrats will lose. They can still prosecute the corruption once elected.
2
OddlyFactual1512 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Nice knot twisting
1
Raliga Mar 31, 2026 +17
I'm super confused why so many people and companies have and are still maintaining trust in us markets for so long while it's been quite obvious there's been no rules or guardrails for a while now
17
Tgsheufhencudbxbsiwy Mar 31, 2026 +7
What other option is there? Pokémon cards? 
7
davecouliersthong Mar 31, 2026 +3
Well if you’re one of the techbro billionaires propping up this administration, you’re probably counting on the total collapse of the USD & markets in order to trigger a mass shift into crypto.
3
EvidenceBasedSwamp Mar 31, 2026 +3
that's basically what my finbro cousin said. he started saying "Have you ever been to Europe? They don't work!" My brain started spinning at all the assumptions he must have, and working out what diet of media he consumes. I brought up the counter examples of Germany, England, which he respected. Brought up that when he visited say Italy or Spain he was hanging out in tourist areas. I thought about it more and I think I figured something out - I'm not really a finance person. So you can try to invest in European systems with mature legal systems. This is because say I invest in Indonesia. The director does all sorts of shenanigans and embezzles funds. I can't sue because the director is related to the Suhartos. That's a risk in "developing markets" of course, maga is turning the usa into one of these corrupt states now too. If you're close to the top you get inside preference, etc. Awarding contracts to insiders is another one. Openly too, they don't even have to hide it now. The trick is the big guys can do it, but the smaller guys have to be more careful (as Kristy Noem found out). She's still not in jail or anything thought.
3
Aldo_says Mar 31, 2026 +4
You assume ignorant orange remembers what he ordered his minions to do two seconds ago. The dictator is a f****** moron. The simpleton has a button on his desk he hits every time he he wants a diet coke delivered FFS. Taxpayers fund his bullshit while his idiot cult cheer.
4
Missmoneysterling Mar 31, 2026 +1
Is it a state crime though? Can't be pardoned. So much of this shit can't be pardoned at a state level.
1
srilankan Mar 31, 2026 +1
America is a laughing stock or the free world right now. All of them cheering this on at every sporting event and WWE show. So proud of that flag. How can any country negotiate or engage with a country run by crooks?
1
Am_Deer Mar 31, 2026 +72
Sure we are sending US troops to die but if we can make some money off it why not? So much corruption. I’m starting to think they are overfilling the swamp.
72
Keblue Mar 31, 2026 +130
I like how headlines like these apparently no longer matter. Nothing ever happens.
130
rjcarr Mar 31, 2026 +38
We tried to explain this, but voting has consequences, and the reality is, probably 80% of MAGA wouldn't care anyway, unless they were told to care, which they won't be.
38
Stunning_Flan_5987 Mar 31, 2026 +5
This won't be on Fox or Newsmax, so they'll never hear about it
5
Responsible-Rip8793 Mar 31, 2026 +4
They didn’t matter his first term either. Yes, Trump was this bad his first term and America still reelected him
4
batmanscodpiece Apr 1, 2026 +1
We fully knew who Trump was, and we elected him a second time, and gave him a compliant Congress. Nothing is going to happen given those circumstances.
1
Psychological-Act-85 Mar 31, 2026 +24
Nothing but criminals in our government now.
24
BurnerProfile69420 Mar 31, 2026 +16
this whole terms been nothing but a insider trading grift at our expense.
16
Leakybwhole Mar 31, 2026 +12
Why aren’t they all in jail for treason ?
12
PigFarmer1 Mar 31, 2026 +8
Ask Pam Bondi why she refuses to do her job.
8
Worthyness Mar 31, 2026 +4
I was told it was because the DOW was over 50,000 or something.
4
Fit-Significance-436 Mar 31, 2026 +8
Check his Kalshi account too
8
Igennem Mar 31, 2026 +7
So incompetent he can't even do insider trading right
7
[deleted] Mar 31, 2026 +7
[deleted]
7
mrflash818 Mar 31, 2026 +8
Impeach and remove. Arrest, prosecute and convict. Enough already!
8
thepianoman456 Mar 31, 2026 +8
Just a reminder: if Dems do well in the house and senate these coming midterms, we can impeach these mofos and prosecute them for their crimes.
8
tryagainlater63 Apr 1, 2026 -1
Senate won’t convict anyone, and no, the Democrats have no shot at 60.
-1
AudibleNod Mar 31, 2026 +49
JFK bought 1200 of his favorite Cuban cigars before he signed the Cuban embargo. Which is to say, this isn't surprising.
49
fuck-nazi Mar 31, 2026 +22
These crimes deserve a death sentence for abuse of power
22
Ancient-Bat1755 Mar 31, 2026 +42
There is a major difference between $12k in cigars and millions/billions of insider trading since 2025.
42
fuck-nazi Mar 31, 2026 -8
r/whoosh
-8
BWWFC Mar 31, 2026 +4
>JFK bought 1200 of his favorite Cuban cigars omg, even if was out of pocket,. we as a country may [never financially recover](https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v10/d51) from that exchange lol but yes, lighthearted is done. it's gotten full silly gross.
4
MadmanMaddox Mar 31, 2026 +5
Someone should look at his wife and brothers financials. Just because Whiskey Pete didn't go for it, doesn't mean someone in his inner circle passed on the opportunity.
5
mattjf22 Mar 31, 2026 +5
They're sending our children to war so they can steal our retirement investments.
5
Interwebnaut Mar 31, 2026 +5
“some well timed bets” Yeah right. Insider Trading and the Wolves of Capitol Hill FEBRUARY 16, 2026 https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/16/congress-beat-stock-market-2025/ ‘What is real?’: Financial markets wrestle with Donald Trump’s shifting stances on Iran war Excerpt: “Exactly 14 minutes before Donald Trump sent global markets into a frenzy with a stunning claim about Iran, a mystery trader dropped a $2.1 billion bet.“ https://www.news.com.au/finance/markets/world-markets/what-is-real-financial-markets-wrestle-with-donald-trumps-shifting-stances-on-iran-war/news-story/4434b3e28bfd86c7198d0937548276c8
5
Syring Mar 31, 2026 +4
Put it in the exhibits for the trials after Nov and focus on getting the right people OUT of office.
4
TechinBellevue Mar 31, 2026 +4
Because of course he did.
4
rddman Mar 31, 2026 +5
This is a feature of the rules of the political system as it is. Has been pretty much since its inception. And what do we do? Occasionally complain about it, not change it.
5
Dunge Mar 31, 2026 +4
It's really crazy how it just took one election result and it allowed them to put some corrupted nepo family member with no experience at the head of every single department and organizations of the states.
4
Puzzled_Worth_4287 Mar 31, 2026 +5
🇨🇦 I really believe that you in the US have a traitor in your highest office. Everything he is doing is to bring down the American Empire. Economically, socially, militarily and geopolitically. I think the American people have become too passive and that it's going to be a problem because this guy is running rough shot all over the world destroying the US and at the same time grifting money from it's citizens by gaming the market. Is this for Russia and China? I really don't see a happy ending here.
5
Webecomemonsters Mar 31, 2026 +2
The only w***** here is whoever sells me the bottle of celebratory scotch on 'the day' I am looking to spend about 5k.
2
HerculesIsMyDad Mar 31, 2026 +3
Silver lining: After this disaster of a bullshit worst admin in history is over, we can solve the national debt crisis just by recouping all the money these pricks stole.
3
davecouliersthong Mar 31, 2026 +2
These guys can’t even embezzle efficiently, making the rising debt far outpace any stolen gains you could recoup. 
2
gobbledygoop Mar 31, 2026 +3
Obviously there’s state sponsored insider trading
3
Outrageous_Spray_196 Mar 31, 2026 +3
Timing like this raises questions—trust erodes fast when power and profit intersect.
3
Key_Opinion_7773 Mar 31, 2026 +3
And still yet congress does nothing
3
h0ser81 Mar 31, 2026 +3
Cool, do something about it.
3
cecirdr Mar 31, 2026 +3
Interesting...so this defense ETF isn't available for retail to buy. So it looks like the rich and well connected buy into ventures off the stock market. They can wield insider info, make lots of bucks, then when it's finally available to the rank and file citizen on the retail market, it's already over valued. Sigh.... It's becoming no way for the average joe to get ahead unless they have a runway or 30 - 40 years.
3
yaboonabi Mar 31, 2026 +3
Anyone who would argue this piece of shit wouldn’t do this is an idiot.
3
No_Seaworthiness3625 Mar 31, 2026 +3
“When you’re a star, they just let you do it.”
3
Comfortable-nerve78 Apr 1, 2026 +3
This administration is just a giant grift.
3
GayJewishPope Apr 1, 2026 +3
So lock him the f*** up.
3
Lonely_Noyaaa Mar 31, 2026 +4
The only reason the investment didn't go through is that the fund wasn't available on Morgan Stanley's platform yet. That's not innocence but just bad luck with the paperwork.
4
man_frmthe_wild Mar 31, 2026 +2
So, profiteering off our men and women in uniform.
2
TrimaxDev Mar 31, 2026 +2
It's pure coincidence...
2
Skinkwiley Mar 31, 2026 +2
The fact that there are people willing to defend insider training as no big deal, just shows how broken our system of justice has become.
2
TitanicChurro Mar 31, 2026 +2
Ol Kegsbreath saving up for some beer money
2
Ill-Difference1672 Mar 31, 2026 +2
So f****** tired of the endless & outrageous grift and corruption of this administration. 
2
Bright-Bluebird3898 Mar 31, 2026 +2
These mfers have zero worth in this world.
2
johnn48 Apr 1, 2026 +2
Of course he did! Nothing surprises us anymore, insider trading, why not is there a tracking app for that. Lifting suspension of helicopter pilots, was Kalshi taking bets on how long it would take?
2
Wentil Apr 1, 2026 +2
Consequences…? None again…? 🤔
2
double297 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Well... how else do you expect them to get filthy rich? Have a heart guys!!!
1
Mo_h Mar 31, 2026 +1
Living in India, I see such wink-and-nudge between politicians and business leaders all the time. But we hold American leaders to a much higher standard!
1
BWWFC Mar 31, 2026 +1
wait... we know who these ppl use as their financial "advisors"?? they taking any new...er clients?
1
KittySharkWithAHat Mar 31, 2026 +1
That's a fuckin shame. Is *anything* going to happen because of it?
1
Global_Crew3968 Mar 31, 2026 +1
But Martha Stewart went to prison for insider trading 
1
Czeris Mar 31, 2026 +1
For Jesus and daddy needs a new yacht! Semper fi!
1
DoubleDixon Mar 31, 2026 +1
Question: Is it still Defense Secretary now that its the Department of War?
1
RocketSkates314 Apr 1, 2026 +1
This is just like Iraq and Halliburton
1
HDauthentic Mar 31, 2026 -8
Look I don’t like the guy, but how many articles do we need about something that didn’t even end up happening? I have thought that Trump was going to start a war for a while now, based on publicly available information
-8
whee3107 Mar 31, 2026 +2
This is a fair point, having the information and actually taking advantage of the information are two very different things. Edit: the article certainly implies he would have acted on it, but the specific thing he wanted wasn’t available yet. But that’s still not the same as actually having done the deed.
2
HDauthentic Mar 31, 2026
Indeed, but there are other defense based funds he could have gone into instead
0
Ok-Presentation-4147 Mar 31, 2026 -1
No one under champion of world corrupt, can't be honest.
-1
Slatedtoprone Apr 1, 2026
He didn’t, but he tried. Because the fund was able to be purchased yet. So nothing happened but I would chalk that more up to timing and incompetence.
0
AlGAdams Mar 31, 2026 -20
I dont like Hegseth but this is not news.  Every investment community at the beginning of the year wa hyping this as a year for Robots, Rockets, Defense and World based ETFs.
-20
KindnessComesBack2U Mar 31, 2026 +17
I’d love to go through life ignorant of anything suspicious. We are talking about the scourge of people profiting from war here, and this would be a significant link in the chain. If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re trying to make an excuse for one of the people in this administration who refuses to take personal accountability, but maybe it’s just that you don’t care about personal accountability
17
MyMonody Mar 31, 2026 -9
…… they don’t buy the stocks…..
-9
KindnessComesBack2U Mar 31, 2026 +7
No, they don’t. But his broker knows there’s ethics rules, and from what I’ve seen of Hegseth, it would be far more likely that he asked his broker to look into it than his broker doing it themselves. I am not going out on a limb to say the broker has more personal accountability in their pinky than Hegseth has in his entire body.
7
IKillZombies4Cash Mar 31, 2026 -2
In the the Secretary of War now? Or was that just an unofficial thing? And has anyone informed him
-2
RidingRedHare Mar 31, 2026 +3
Hegseth is the Horseman of War. And RFK Jr is the Horseman of Pestilence.
3
dengel01 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Secretary of War Crimes
2
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