Can You Keep an Eye on the Game Without Screens? Polymarket Sports Bar Explores the Concept

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I was enjoying a day off in Maine when two significant tech stories broke. First, the White House unveiled its framework for a national AI bill aimed at moving through Congress. Second, and arguably more exciting, Polymarket launched the Situation Room, a pop-up bar in Mount Vernon Triangle designed for “monitoring the situation” on a massive wall of TV screens.

However, things didn’t go as planned. According to a report, the bar had to close early at 9 PM because the very screens meant to monitor the situation were malfunctioning. Even by Saturday afternoon, the screens were still out of order, leading Polymarket to offer guests complimentary Champagne as a gesture of goodwill.

A colleague who attended briefly described the scene as filled with young professionals still sporting their work badges and backpacks, likening it to any typical work mixer or happy hour. Aside from a jazz band and a giant light-up globe, there was only one functioning screen—a long table that resembled shuffleboard but was actually a display people looked down on. My colleague also spotted Josh Tucker, Polymarket’s head of growth, in a sparsely populated VIP area on the outdoor patio, which was likely avoided due to the rain. Overall, he deemed the event “monumentally stupid.”

For those who know me, I’ve covered some wild blockchain-based ventures, and I regret missing this one. If you have tips for future openings or anything of greater political significance, feel free to reach out.

Now, onto the unfolding drama within the MAGA coalition. For months, I’ve highlighted the growing divide between the tech-savvy right influencing Donald Trump’s administration and the more traditional conservative movement focused on family values and Christian ideology. What was once a simmering tension has now become a public spectacle. Just days after the White House announced its AI legislative framework, a group of Republicans and conservative activists launched the Alliance for a Better Future (ABF), aiming to counter the tech industry’s rising political clout. The group boasts some notable names in conservative circles, including Michael Toscano from the Institute for Family Studies and Tim Estes, a tech founder and conservative policy advocate.

However, the ABF quickly faced criticism from Nathan Leamer, a prominent Republican and executive director of Build American AI, who took issue with the group’s association with Max Tegmark, a well-known AI safety advocate.

Let’s put aside the funding debates for now and focus on the ABF itself. The backgrounds of its members are noteworthy. Many are affiliated with influential organizations like the Heritage Foundation, which has been a key player in conservative politics since the Reagan era. They were also instrumental in Project 2025, a collaborative effort to create a cohesive policy agenda for the next Republican president.

Most staffers have ties to groups involved in Project 2025, such as American Compass and the American Principles Project, as well as connections to the GOP apparatus and Trump-aligned think tanks. Given their extensive backgrounds, it’s clear that anyone working with ABF is deeply embedded in the conservative network, which has existed long before the MAGA movement and still harbors significant ideological divides.

When I reached out to Leamer for his thoughts, he emphasized an important distinction: while ABF’s staff may come from these organizations, the institutions themselves are not officially backing the group. He noted that the Heritage Foundation adheres to a “one voice” policy, meaning that an endorsement from them signifies collective support from all employees. Following his comments, two ABF board members clarified that they were acting in their personal capacities and their views did not reflect those of their employers.

After Regulator went out, I received a response from ABF’s CEO, Janet Kelly, who denied any funding ties to the Future of Life Institute, asserting that they are supported by individuals who cannot be swayed by Big Tech billionaires.

Is this a full-blown right-wing civil war? Not quite, but the formation of this splinter group suggests tensions are rising. I have no doubt that Leamer and the White House have collaborated with these groups on AI issues in the past. However, when conservatives start publicly accusing each other of accepting dark money, it’s reminiscent of the days when Ronald Reagan lamented the erosion of the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” Nowadays, friendly collaboration among right-wing factions is rare, and uniting behind a common policy goal is even more challenging, especially when the issues at stake involve child safety and family values.

What I’m reading:
The crypto markets took a hit this week as the White House released compromise language for the Clarity Act, a stalled crypto market structure bill. The new bill imposes strict limits on stablecoin yields and bans rewards programs, a significant win for traditional banks concerned about losing customers. More congressional discussions are expected in April.

In influencer news, FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, recently claimed she was the target of a foreign disinformation campaign, alleging that figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens were being paid to smear her.

Lastly, CBS Evening News, under Bari Weiss’s leadership, reported its lowest ratings ever last quarter, both in total audience and the key 25–54 demographic.

And now, Recess.
I never would have guessed that “will Laura Loomer meet the Dalai Lama” would be a bet on Polymarket, but apparently, it should have been.

See you next week.

Update: Added comment from ABF’s CEO.
Correction: An earlier version misstated the titles of Tim Estes and Brad Littlejohn. Estes is a tech founder and conservative policy advocate for child and tech safety, while Littlejohn is the Director of Programs at American Compass.