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Title: Trump's "I Don't Know Him" Defense: A Calculated Risk?
Okay, so Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the Binance founder who pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering, served a few months, and paid a hefty fine. Then, in a 60 Minutes interview, Trump claims he has "no idea who he is." The question is, does this add up?
The Disconnect
Let's lay out the facts. Zhao's companies have partnered with firms linked to Trump, including Dominari Holdings, where Trump's sons are on the board. The White House Press Secretary even defended the pardon as correcting Biden's "war on cryptocurrency." And yet, “I don’t know who he is.”
This discrepancy isn't just a "he said, she said" situation. It's a calculated move. Trump's team knows that any association with Zhao, given the money laundering charges, is radioactive. So, the "I don't know him" defense is designed to create distance. The pardon itself buys loyalty, and the denial attempts to insulate Trump from blowback.
But here's where it gets interesting. Trump also stated that the US needs to be a leader in cryptocurrency. Zhao, after the pardon, promised to help make America the "Capital of Crypto." Is this a coordinated strategy? It's hard to say, but the timing is suspect.
The Autopen Question
Then there's the autopen issue. Republicans are currently scrutinizing Biden's use of autopen signatures, and some even want pardons signed by autopen to be voided. The article notes that it's unclear if Trump's pardon for Zhao was signed by autopen. I've looked at hundreds of these documents, and the lack of clarity here is concerning.
If the pardon WAS signed by autopen, it adds another layer of complexity. Was Trump truly unaware of the pardon, or is this just more political maneuvering?
And this is the part of the report that I find genuinely puzzling. The Trump administration previously halted a fraud case against crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun after Sun invested in the Trump family's crypto firm, World Liberty Financial. It was also announced that a stablecoin launched by World Liberty Financial would be used by an Abu Dhabi firm for a $2 billion investment in Binance.
Is it possible that Trump genuinely doesn't know the details of these connections? Maybe. But the pattern is undeniable.
The Bigger Picture
Karoline Leavitt called Zhao's prosecution a "war on cryptocurrency." This frames the pardon as a political act, not a personal favor. It's about signaling support to the crypto community. The risk, of course, is alienating voters who see crypto as shady or enabling illicit activities.
The numbers tell the story. Trump is betting that the potential gains from the crypto community outweigh the potential losses from the general electorate. It’s a high-stakes gamble, but Trump has never been one to shy away from risk.
The Emperor Has No Clothes (Or Memory)
The "I don't know him" defense is a transparent attempt to distance Trump from a potentially damaging association. Whether it works is another question. The data suggests that voters are increasingly skeptical of these kinds of political maneuvers. Trump says he doesn’t know who crypto tycoon is despite having pardoned him
