US President Donald Trump has responded to criticism of his 2025 financial disclosures, showing that he made $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency ventures while in office.
In an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Thursday, Trump he said that there is “nothing illegal” and “nothing wrong” with profiting from his cryptocurrency investments as president. He claimed that other people were responsible for his investments and that he “didn’t even know who they were,” failing to directly answer questions about his perceived conflict of interest as president.
Donald Trump (left) and Joe Kernen (right). Source: CNBC
Trump’s comments came after the U.S. Office of Government Ethics released its 2025 financial disclosure report, which found he raised more than $2 billion from his companies and investments, about $1.4 billion of which was related to crypto projects such as his Memecoin and family platform World Liberty Financial. Many advocacy organizations do characterized investments as a “capture” that allows the president to influence related legislation such as the Digital Assets Transparency Act (CLARITY).
After his first term as US president, Trump called Bitcoin (BTC) a “fraud”. However, in the run-up to the 2024 election, he has become friends with a number of high-profile figures in the cryptocurrency industry, including Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and executives from mining companies and exchanges. He has since launched his own memecoin called “Official Trump” (TRUMP), in addition to his family’s involvement with World Liberty and American Bitcoin.
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Of the $1.4 billion related to cryptocurrencies, Trump revealed that his memecoin generated about $636 million, World Liberty sales about $588 million and $197 million in equity in the stablecoin venture.
“Donald is pushing the boundaries once again and no one, no one is stopping it” – Mary Trump, the president’s niece, he said in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Friday. “Ultimately, because of his abuse of the presidential pardon power, many people likely got away with committing numerous financial crimes that caused real harm to those who invested in Donald’s businesses because they believed in him and what he was selling.”
The cryptocurrency industry is betting massive on the 2026 US elections
After digital asset companies spent a reported $170 million supporting what they considered “pro-crypto” congressional candidates in 2024, political action committees and organizations (PACs) appear to have adopted the same playbook for 2026.
Cryptocurrency companies and individuals have donated $189 million since June for this year’s election cycle, according to consumer group Public Citizen. The contributions made up most of the $294 million from cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, Big Tech and online betting companies that have so far spent to support or oppose politicians.
Trump’s term ends in January 2029, but all 435 U.S. House and 35 Senate seats are up for grabs in the 2026 races.
