WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Sunday said he knows nothing about Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire founder of a cryptocurrency exchange with close ties to the Trump family's own crypto empire – even though he he forgave him last month.
“I don't know who he is“Trump said when asked on CBS's 60 Minutes why he pardoned him.
“All I can tell you is that my sons are interested in this,” Trump added. “I'm glad that's the case because it's probably a great crypto industry. I think it's a good thing.”
“I don’t know anything about this guy,” Trump said again when pressed.
He said Zhao, also known as “CZ”, was a victim of the Justice Department's “weaponization”, without providing further details. During the plea deal, federal prosecutors said Zhao caused “significant harm to U.S. national security.”
Trump's admission that he knows very little about one of his pardonees comes as the president and his Republican allies continue to attack former President Joe Biden, arguing that he was unaware of many of his official actions as president, including pardons, because his staff used auto-open signature.
“I guarantee you he didn't know anything about what he was signingI guarantee you,” Trump said in July.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee last month called some of Biden's executive actions, including pardons, “illegitimate” As he left office, Biden announced a series of preemptive pardons to prominent Democrats and his family members.
Biden called Republicans' accusations “funny and falsePrevious presidents, including Trump, have used an auto-opening signature from time to time; Trump claimed it wasn't for anything important.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Zhao, founder of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, was sentenced to four months in prison as part of a 2023 deal with the Justice Department that would have required him to plead guilty to facilitating money laundering at his exchange, which also does business with World Liberty Financial. This firm was founded by the president's sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and managed many crypto projects associated with the president's family.
As part of the deal, Binance was ordered to pay $4 billion in fines, and Zhao personally paid a $50 million fine and apologized. He continues to own a large stake in the stock exchange.
World Liberty Financial's main cryptocurrency operates on an exchange operated by Binance. The Wall Street Journal previously reported this..
During the 60 Minutes interview, Trump was asked about the potential conflict of interest associated with his pardoning someone with direct business dealings with his family. He replied that he knew nothing about this matter.
“Well, here’s the thing: I don’t know anything about it because I’m too busy doing other things…” Trump responded before being interrupted and pressed further.
Because of the widespread nature of the financial crimes and direct ties to the Trump family, the pardon drew swift backlash, including from some Republicans. Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called it at the time “bad signal.»
A Biden spokesman declined to comment on Trump's latest remarks, but pointed NBC News to a social media post by former Biden spokesman Andrew Bates that asked a question that Republicans have increasingly asked during Biden's presidency.
“Who runs the White House?” He published This is a direct response to the story about Trump claiming he doesn't know who Zhao is.
On Monday morning, House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been among those critical of Biden, brushed off questions about Trump acknowledging the pardon.
“I don't know anything about it“, he told reporters.
