U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commemorated the 17th anniversary of the Bitcoin white paper with a pointed message on X, highlighting Bitcoin’s uninterrupted operation and drawing a sharp comparison to the current federal government shutdown.
Anniversary message and political jab
On October 31, Bessent posted:
“17 years after the white paper, the Bitcoin network is still operational and more resilient than ever. Bitcoin never shuts down. @SenateDems could learn something from that.”
His remarks come as the U.S. government endures its second-longest shutdown in history, with over 900,000 federal workers furloughed following a funding impasse attributed to a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.
Bitcoin’s reliability and policy signals
Bessent’s comments underscored the Bitcoin network’s uptime and resilience, which has been a core part of its appeal since its launch in 2009.
The anniversary of the white paper is often used by supporters to emphasize Bitcoin’s independence from centralized control and its continuous operation, even during weekends and holidays.
Reactions from the bitcoin community
The post ignited debate among bitcoin supporters and critics.
Some technical purists, including Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr, argued that the network is “weaker than ever” due to recent software disputes.
Others, like asset manager James Lavish, interpreted Bessent’s message as a signal of continued commitment by the Trump administration to digital assets.
Market participants urged Treasury to acquire more bitcoin for the U.S. strategic reserve.
Treasury’s evolving stance
Earlier this year, Bessent described stablecoins as transformative for digital finance and revealed the U.S. is exploring budget-neutral methods to expand its bitcoin holdings.
President Donald Trump has also reiterated plans to make the U.S. the global leader in bitcoin and digital assets.
