Former President and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump faced boos and ridicule throughout his unprecedented speech at the Libertarian National Convention last night. This was the first speech given by a major party candidate at a rival convention.
“If you nominate me or at least give me your vote, I think we should win together. What is the purpose of the Liberal Party getting 3% (of the vote)?” Trump declared to boos early on. Trump’s promise to appoint liberals to Cabinet positions and “liberals in high places” has been met with more varied cheers and derision, as have many of his policy pronouncements.
But about three-quarters of the way through his 40-minute speech, Trump briefly touched on cryptocurrency policy, promising to support the industry and commuting Ross Ulbricht’s sentence on Day 1, leaving the audience in awe. got a big score. “It’s the Libertarians’ favorite cause.
Trump’s pledge to commute Ulbricht’s sentence, the first of any major Republican or Democratic candidate, was met with nearly 30 minutes of enthusiastic cheers of “Free Ross!” Many spectators were holding pickets with slogans written on them. Ulbricht is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for creating and operating the dark web marketplace Silk Road, a site closely tied to the early history of Bitcoin.
According to contemporary media reports, Trump was said to have considered pardoning Ulbricht toward the end of his presidency, and Ulbricht had garnered the support of important Trump advisers. However, Trump left office without taking any action against Ulbricht, known by the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts.”
Trump Will Stop ‘Cryptocurrency Smashing Movement’
Trump’s comments about cryptocurrencies have largely helped establish his opposition to the current administration. Reading from a teleprompter, Trump pledged to stop “Joe Biden’s crusade to crush cryptocurrencies” by ensuring the future of cryptocurrencies is not “flew overseas,” support self-custody, and prevent the development of CBDCs. President Trump said, “I say this to the 50 million cryptocurrency holders across the country. “With your vote, I will turn Elizabeth Warren and her followers away from your Bitcoin,” he declared.
These brief remarks were the only cryptocurrency-related remarks Trump made in his speech, making it one of his shortest campaign speeches to date. Trump appears to be showing a warm interest in cryptocurrencies in recent weeks. Trump’s campaign, once a Bitcoin skeptic, recently announced it would accept cryptocurrency donations, and Trump posted his support for the cryptocurrency industry on social media site Truth Social shortly before his speech at the Libertarian Party convention.
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