House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, faced backlash on social media after he claimed not to know about a recent dinner hosted by President Donald Trump, which featured over 200 top investors in the president’s personal cryptocurrency venture. The event rewarded the largest investors, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Trump hosted the dinner at his private golf club in Sterling, Virginia, and the event was shrouded in secrecy. Johnson, a close ally of Trump, denied any knowledge of the dinner during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday.
“I really have a difficult time imagining that if this was a Democratic president doing the exact same thing, you wouldn’t be outraged,” Tapper said to Johnson. The House speaker responded by saying he didn’t know anything about the event and was “a little busy” last week.
Critics have accused Johnson of looking the other way on potential corruption related to Trump’s crypto ventures. Journalists and commentators have taken to social media to express their outrage, with some calling for Johnson’s resignation.
The controversy highlights the need for greater transparency in government, particularly when it comes to conflicts of interest. As Trump’s ownership of the cryptocurrency industry creates a potential conflict of interest, lawmakers must ensure that they are not compromised by their own interests.
The event was part of a larger trend of Trump’s business dealings being shrouded in secrecy. The president has repeatedly claimed that his assets are managed in a blind trust, but critics argue that this is not sufficient to prevent conflicts of interest.
As the controversy continues to unfold, lawmakers and commentators will be watching closely to see how Johnson and other Republicans respond to concerns about Trump’s crypto ventures.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/mike-johnson-not-knowing-anything-about-trump-crypto-dinner-sparks-fury-2076892