Trump Claims He “Doesn’t Know” Changpeng Zhao After Granting Him A Presidential Pardon
So, Trump says he doesn’t know who Changpeng Zhao is, even after handing the crypto billionaire a presidential pardon last month. During a recent CBS News 60 Minutes interview, Trump was questioned about the decision.
Zhao, famously known as “CZ,” admitted to money laundering back in 2023. After spending four months behind bars, he stepped down as CEO of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. Now, here’s where it gets interesting – his companies reportedly have links to ventures connected to Trump, including Dominari Holdings, where Trump’s sons hold board seats and is based in Trump Tower. When Norah O’Donnell of CBS asked Trump why he pardoned Zhao, especially after federal prosecutors warned that his actions “caused significant harm to US national security,” Trump doubled down.
“Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is,” the former president replied.
Trump insisted he didn’t recall ever meeting Zhao, stating that he was told the businessman was unfairly targeted by the Biden administration. “I had no idea who he is,” Trump added, calling Zhao’s prosecution a “witch hunt.”
Throughout the interview, Trump voiced his support for cryptocurrency, calling it “the future” and warning that the U.S. might fall behind global players like China if it doesn’t step up its game.
Inside The Changpeng Zhao Pardon And Its Ties To Trump’s Crypto Ambitions
Trump’s pardon of Zhao lifts restrictions that prevented him from managing financial operations in the U.S. What’s less clear is how this move will affect Zhao’s ongoing regulatory issues or his ties to Binance.
When the pardon was announced, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended it, calling Zhao’s case “an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration.”
“This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration,” she said, adding, “The president wants to correct this overreach of the Biden administration’s misjustice, and he exercised his constitutional authority to do so.”
Of course, critics aren’t convinced. Many believe the pardon has more to do with Trump’s personal and financial interests in the crypto world than any actual sense of justice.
Meanwhile, the White House is standing firm, painting the decision as a move against what it calls the Biden-era “war on cryptocurrency.” The administration’s message? Trump is the pro-crypto president — end of story.
Crypto and Politics: Trump’s Money Moves Keep Raising Eyebrows
This isn’t the first time Trump’s crypto connections have raised questions. His administration previously put a hold on a fraud case against Justin Sun, another crypto entrepreneur, after Sun invested big in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s own crypto venture.
Earlier this year, reports surfaced that World Liberty Financial was creating a stablecoin to back a $2 billion investment in Binance from a firm based in Abu Dhabi. As if that wasn’t enough, Trump has also pardoned the founders of BitMEX, another crypto exchange charged with money laundering, and even Ross Ulbricht, the infamous founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace.
So, while Trump claims he “doesn’t know” Changpeng Zhao, his administration’s record suggests otherwise – crypto billionaires seem to keep getting presidential blessings.
To put it in perspective, Binance is still the largest crypto exchange globally, handling billions in transactions daily. Even with Zhao’s legal issues, his name still holds sway in the crypto community — and, clearly, in Trump’s political circle too.
Trump’s Pro-Crypto Agenda and Global Ambitions
Trump’s newfound enthusiasm for cryptocurrency appears linked to his desire to position America as a leader in blockchain technology. He’s suggested creating federal crypto policies that boost American-led innovation — policies that also happen to align with his family’s private business ventures.
Trump’s message? The U.S. must “stay ahead” of rivals like China in digital finance. And while he claims not to know the world’s most famous crypto billionaire, his administration’s actions hint otherwise.
There’s also the optics of it: pardoning a Chinese-born billionaire accused of money laundering while campaigning on an “America First” platform raises some eyebrows.
Still, Trump’s supporters see the move as bold and business-savvy — an attempt to align U.S. financial power with future technologies. His critics, on the other hand, view it as yet another case of selective justice wrapped in a Bitcoin logo.
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Disclaimer:
For Education and discussion purposes. Please note no copyright infringement is intended, was recorded on BlkCosmo’s own equipment, and we do not own nor claim to own any of the original recordings used in this video and intend to use this as ‘fair use’.
