by Rey Simmons 
In a surprising move that will galvanize his base, former President Donald Trump has pledged to pursue an aggressive pro-cryptocurrency agenda if re-elected in 2024. Speaking at a campaign rally in Miami, Trump vowed to free Ross Ulbricht, stop the rollout of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and champion self-custody principles.
“The failed political establishment is trying to strangle cryptocurrency and decentralization through over-regulation and state control,” Trump thundered. “A Trump administration will fight for economic freedom and individual liberty in the digital realm.”
Trump’s most controversial promise was to pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the defunct Silk Road darknet market who is currently serving a double life sentence plus 40 years in prison. Ulbricht’s draconian sentence for non-violent crimes related to the Silk Road website has made him a cause célèbre in crypto circles.
“Ross Ulbricht is a victim of a horrifically unjust system,” Trump declared. “He is a brilliant young man whose ideas were perverted by a few bad actors. I will pardon Mr. Ulbricht and many other patriots unjustly incarcerated by the American police state.”
Perhaps just as radically, the former president blasted central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as “a terrifying tool of government surveillance and control.” He vowed to block any CBDC rollout and prevent the Federal Reserve from “pushing Americans into a cashless, communist-style dictatorship.”
“CBDCs represent everything crypto was created to stop – centralized control, lack of privacy, and bureaucratic overreach,” Trump said. “A re-elected Trump administration will fight CBDCs tooth and nail and keep America a free and open society.”
Finally, Trump pledged to champion crypto self-custody rights and prevent any crackdown on private wallets and decentralized finance protocols. “The freedom to self-custody your crypto assets is fundamental to an open society,” he stated. “We must protect this right from authoritarian regimes and rogue agencies seeking control.”
Trump’s fiery crypto rhetoric was likely calculated to reinvigorate his populist base and attract new supporters in the crypto community. However, it will certainly outrage establishment lawmakers and could spark a wider political battle over digital asset regulation. Regardless, Trump has staked out a radically pro-crypto position as he gears up for the 2024 campaign.
