Trump Denies Knowing CZ, Highlights Crypto Role By His Sons

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, defended his pardon of the co-founder of Binance, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, stating that he does not know the crypto executive personally and dismissing the criticism that the move was politically motivated.

Trump said he doesn’t know CZ in an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes on Sunday, repeating his previous claims after having pardoned at the end of October.

“OK, are you ready? I don’t know who it is,” Trump he answered when he was asked about the pardon in the interview, adding that he had heard that the case of CZ was a “Biden witch hunt”.

Trump’s remarks about the former CEO of Binance, which admitted to facilitate money laundering in 2023, a series of allegations suggesting possible conflicts of interest stemming from Binance’s ties to crypto ventures linked to the Trump family.

Grill “Pay-for-play”.

Pressed by CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell on reports that Binance facilitated a Trump-backed $2 billion stablecoin purchase World Liberty Financial (WLFI) before the pardon, Trump rejected the suggestion.

“Well, here’s the thing, I don’t know anything about it because I’m too busy doing something else,” said the president.

After O’Donnell interrupted, “But he got a pardon,” Trump responded:

“Norah, I can only tell you this – my kids are in it. And I’m glad they are, because it’s probably a big industry, crypto. I think it’s good. You know, they ran a business; they’re not in the government. […] I’m proud of them, I’m focused on it.”

“I don’t know anything about the guy, other than I heard he’s a victim of government arming,” Trump said of CZ, referring to what he called “corrupt government” under the Biden administration.

Related: Elizabeth Warren dismisses CZ defamation threat as ‘meritless’

“I only care about one thing,” Trump continued, saying he wants to “make crypto great for America,” and adding:

“Crypto has become a massive industry, if you want to call it that. And I’m very proud to say that we’re way ahead of China and everybody else. And China is getting into it in a very big way right now.”

“If you go after the people, you’re going to kill that industry, and that would be very bad,” the president concluded.