Did Commerce Secretary Lutnick Short Bitcoin Before Tariff Announcements?

Timeline & Key Events

• Oct 9, 2025 — 16:39 GMT:
  A trader deposits $80 million and begins shorting Bitcoin — betting the price will fall.

• A few hours later (03:49 GMT):
  Another $30 million goes into Ethereum shorts.

• 14:57 GMT:
  Trump posts on Truth Social about new Chinese tariffs tied to rare earth disputes. The market dips slightly, but the trader keeps adding shorts instead of taking profit.

• 20:49 GMT:
  The final short is placed.

• 20:50 GMT — One minute later:
  Trump announces a 100% tariff on China, triggering a market crash.

• 21:20 GMT (≈30 minutes later):
  The same account closes all short positions — realizing roughly $190 million in profit.

Who would do this? Our guess is Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.