President Donald Trump’s administration has continued its pro-crypto agenda despite ethics red flags surrounding the president’s personal ties to the industry. The latest example is the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, where key members of the president’s inner circle are speaking, including Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s crypto czar, David Sacks.
The conference is a vivid illustration of Trump’s dramatic turnaround on cryptocurrency, which he once called a “scam against the dollar.” The Trump family has maintained personal crypto ties, with Eric and Donald Trump Jr. involved in several crypto ventures that have faced conflict-of-interest concerns.
Watchdog groups, congressional Democrats, and even some Republicans have raised red flags about the Trump family’s entanglements with crypto. Despite these concerns, officials insist that events like Trump’s private dinner featuring buyers of his personalized crypto memecoin are “separate” from the White House and “unaffiliated” crypto enterprises.
However, this assertion has caused headaches within the administration, with those working on crypto issues trying to separate themselves from Trump’s potential conflicts of interest. Sacks views his job as running point on crypto policy across the administration to grow the market and make it competitive with other countries.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Democrats and ethics watchdogs have sounded the alarm over how crypto is becoming a centerpiece of both Trump’s business empire and his administration, raising concerns about corruption and influence peddling.
As the memecoin dinner demonstrated, the intermingling of Trump’s public office and private gain has raised eyebrows. The dinner attendees included crypto traders, former NBA star Lamar Odom, and Chinese-born billionaire Justin Sun, who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023 for fraud.
The vice president’s appearance at the conference sent another message: cryptocurrency is in a bull market as long as Trump is in office. With Trump’s first executive orders focused on deregulation measures of the crypto industry, Democrats and ethics watchdogs warn that the ventures are potentially opening doors for industry players and foreign actors to influence the president’s policies.
The Trump family’s pro-crypto agenda has sparked heated debates about corruption and the blurring of lines between public office and private gain. As the administration continues to navigate this complex issue, one thing is clear: cryptocurrency is becoming an increasingly important aspect of Trump’s business empire and his administration.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/28/trump-crypto-bitcoin-ethics-conflicts-00372688