Donald Trump was asked why he pardoned a crypto billionaire money launderer and his smugly self-satisfied response wasn’t the slam-dunk he thought it was
Donald Trump did a sit-down interview with ABC’s 60 Minutes programmes and there were no end of eye-opening moments and this one was surely close to the very top.
It’s the moment interviewer Norah O’Donnell asked him precisely why he had pardoned Changpeng Zhao (AKA ‘CZ’), the cryptocurrency billionaire with ties to the Trump family’s own crypto venture who served four months in prison after pleading guilty to enabling money laundering.
Right, that’s the background out of the way and here is what Trump had to say in response, a supremely self-satisfied reply that was the precise opposite of the slam-dunk Trump appeared to think it was.
O’DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao?
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don’t know who he is
O’DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial’s stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here’s the thing — I know nothing… pic.twitter.com/rJFXsJ2VvF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 3, 2025
And these people surely said it best.
1.
Not knowing who you pardoned, if you pardoned them, and who they are when they just gave your family a $2 billion deal and then received a pardon, should be a way bigger controversy than an auto pen. https://t.co/uxmFITKlsi
— Melanie D’Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) November 3, 2025
2.
Wow president autopen doesn’t know who he’s pardoning https://t.co/y0eJRSfAhD
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) November 3, 2025
3.
He’s the guy who helped set your crypto company up for you, helped secure major foreign “investors,” and made you and your sons over a billion dollars. https://t.co/6JODPjZwyb
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 3, 2025
4.
If Trump does not know the people he is pardoning, all of his pardons should be put under immediate review. We don’t make the rules. Was this done with auto pen? https://t.co/XHYYAO5ZLG
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) November 3, 2025
5.
From the party that wails about “autopen” pardons on an endless loop comes “I know nothing about it.” https://t.co/TTRy3lv8M3
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) November 3, 2025
6.
Wait, wait, wait, if this is true, per Republicans, if he doesn’t know about it, it should void the pardon. That’s what they’re saying about Biden’s pardons, right??
— Patty19 (@pbogs1219) November 3, 2025
7.
https://t.co/0OCzn6vLzj pic.twitter.com/UiWmGEMYEG
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 3, 2025
8.
Who is running the White House? https://t.co/UVRrAjgoha
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) November 3, 2025