CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell asked the president why he pardoned Changpeng Zhao, who is the founder of Binance, creator of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and supporter of the Trump family’s involvement in cryptocurrency. Zhao pled guilty and served four months in prison for ignoring U.S. banking laws and for failing to stop criminals from using Binance to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism.
“Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.”
The president said that his sons are involved in cryptocurrency enterprises. While Trump said he knows “very little” about the industry, he wanted the U.S. to be a leader in cryptocurrency.
“I don’t know the man at all. I don’t think I ever met him. Maybe I did. Or, you know, somebody shook my hand or something. But I don’t think I ever met him. I have no idea who he is,” the president said. “I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration.”
When O’Donnell pressed Trump about the appearance of “pay for play,” the president continued to say he knew “nothing about it.”
“My sons are into it,” Trump said, referring to the cryptocurrency industry. “I’m glad they are, because it’s probably a great industry, crypto. I think it’s good. You know, they’re running a business. They’re not in government.”
On Zhao, Trump said he knew “nothing about the guy, other than I hear he was a victim of weaponization by government” during the Biden administration.
“So [you’re] not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this?” O’Donnell asked.
“I can’t say, because– I can’t say– I’m not concerned. I don’t– I’d rather not have you ask the question. But I let you ask it,” Trump said.
O’Donnell’s questions and Trump’s answers about the pardon appeared in a full transcript released of the interview after airing. They were not included in the version that aired on CBS.
President Donald Trump said in an interview that he did not know the person whom he pardoned late last month.
CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell asked the president why he pardoned Changpeng Zhao, who is the founder of Binance, creator of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and supporter of the Trump family’s involvement in cryptocurrency.
Zhao pled guilty and served four months in prison for ignoring U.S. banking laws and for failing to stop criminals from using Binance to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism.
“Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.”
The president said that his sons are involved in cryptocurrency enterprises. While Trump said he knows “very little” about the industry, he wanted the U.S. to be a leader in cryptocurrency.
“I don’t know the man at all. I don’t think I ever met him. Maybe I did. Or, you know, somebody shook my hand or something. But I don’t think I ever met him. I have no idea who he is,” the president said. “I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration.”
When O’Donnell pressed Trump about the appearance of “pay for play,” the president continued to say he knew “nothing about it.”
“My sons are into it,” Trump said, referring to the cryptocurrency industry. “I’m glad they are, because it’s probably a great industry, crypto. I think it’s good. You know, they’re running a business. They’re not in government.”
On Zhao, Trump said he knew “nothing about the guy, other than I hear he was a victim of weaponization by government” during the Biden administration.
“So [you’re] not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this?” O’Donnell asked.
“I can’t say, because– I can’t say– I’m not concerned. I don’t– I’d rather not have you ask the question. But I let you ask it,” Trump said.
O’Donnell’s questions and Trump’s answers about the pardon appeared in a full transcript released of the interview after airing. They were not included in the version that aired on CBS.