President Trump reiterated his claim that he did not know who Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao was during an interview with CBS News.
Trump granted Zhao a presidential pardon in October, nearly a year after the Binance founder pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and served a four-month prison sentence.
Trump told CBS’ Norah O’Donnell that Zhao “has been treated very poorly by the Biden administration,” describing the former Binance CEO as a “victim of weaponization by the government.” The president added that he had been told that Zhao “had been framed” and that his pardon was intended to ensure that the United States remained competitive in the cryptocurrency sector.
“I don’t know this man at all. I don’t think I’ve ever met him,” Trump said during the CBS interview. “Maybe I did. Or, you know, someone shook my hand or something. But I don’t think I’ve ever met him. I have no idea who he is. I was told he was a victim, just like me and like a lot of other people.”
During the CBS interview, Trump dismissed questions about conflicts of interest, emphasizing his goal of keeping the United States “number one in crypto” and insisting that his sons’ business ventures were separate from the government.
“My sons like it. I’m glad they do,” he said. “They run a business, they are not part of the government.”
Critics, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, called the pardon a clear example of “pay for play,” highlighting Zhao’s financial ties to Trump-affiliated companies.
A lawyer representing Zhao told the New York Post that he considered Warren’s statements to be defamatory.
