Key Takeaways
- Trump has pledged to pardon Ross Ulbricht if re-elected.
- Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to two life terms plus forty years in 2015.
- Trump has adopted a pro-Bitcoin stance, promising to protect self-custody rights.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, if he wins the upcoming election in November.
At the Libertarian Party’s National Convention in Washington on May 25, Trump declared:
If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht.
Ulbricht, who ran Silk Road under the username Dread Pirate Roberts, was arrested in 2013 and sentenced in 2015 to two life terms plus forty years without parole for his role in the darknet market, which utilized Bitcoin for transactions.
Trump said:
He’s already served 11 years, we’re going to get him home.
Pro Bitcoin stance by Trump
Trump also highlighted his pro-Bitcoin stance, a shift from his previous critical views on digital assets.
He promised to support the right to self-custody for Bitcoin holders and protect them from regulatory crackdowns.
Trump stated:
I will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in the USA, not driven overseas.
He emphasized his commitment to safeguarding Bitcoin enthusiasts from adversarial policies, saying:
I will keep Elizabeth Warren and her goons away from your Bitcoin.
