CZ Pardon News: Trump Tells CBS News He 'Doesn't Know' Who Binance's Changpeng Zhao Is

During an interview with CBS News, President Trump reiterated that he does not know Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, despite having granted him a presidential pardon in October following Zhao's guilty plea for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Trump stated that Zhao "was treated really badly by the Biden administration" and was a "victim of weaponization by government," claiming he was told Zhao was "set up." Trump insisted his pardon was aimed at keeping the U.S. competitive in cryptocurrency. He dismissed concerns about conflicts of interest regarding his sons' crypto ventures, asserting they run separate businesses. Critics, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, have labeled the pardon as "pay for play" due to Zhao's financial ties to Trump-affiliated ventures.

(Source：CoinDesk)