Despite pardoning cryptocurrency multibillionaire Changpeng Zhao last month, US President Donald Trump claims to have no idea who he is. Trump was asked about the pardon during an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, which aired on Sunday.
In 2023, Zhao, commonly known as “CZ”, pled guilty to facilitating money laundering. He spent four months in prison and agreed to step down as CEO of Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange he co-founded.
His companies have collaborated with Trump-affiliated organisations on new digital-currency projects, including Dominari Holdings, where his sons serve on the board of advisers and are headquartered in Trump Tower.
Norah O’Donnell, the host of 60 Minutes, questioned why Trump pardoned Zhao even though government prosecutors stated he caused “significant harm to US national security.” Okay, are you prepared? “I don’t know who he is,” the president stated.
Trump said that he had no recollection of meeting Zhao and had “no idea who he is,” just that he had been told that the businessman was “a victim of a witch hunt” by former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
During the interview, Trump also emphasized his support for cryptocurrencies, stating that the US needed to ensure that it was a leader in the field or risk losing ground to China and its competitors in the burgeoning technology.
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