Trump Denies Knowing Binance Founder After Pardoning Money Laundering Convict

President Donald Trump recently pardoned Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, who pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws and served a prison sentence. Despite issuing the pardon, Trump stated in a 60 Minutes interview that he did not know who Zhao was, attributing the case to a "Biden witch hunt" and distancing himself from the Binance founder. The pardon has sparked bipartisan concern and scrutiny, particularly due to Binance's role in facilitating a $2 billion investment into World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture co-founded by Trump's sons and associated with the Trump family. Critics, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have highlighted potential conflicts of interest and raised questions about the ethics of the pardon. Trump defended his decision by emphasizing the importance of keeping the U.S. competitive in cryptocurrency, comparing crypto to AI technology. The controversy remains a significant issue in the ongoing discussion about crypto regulation and political ethics.