When asked on 60 Minutes about his pardon of Binance's Changpeng Zhao, President Trump said “I don't know who he is” and “I heard it was a Biden witch hunt”

In a rare interview, Trump said he was told Changpeng Zhao was the victim of the Biden administration's “witch hunt” against crypto.

Decrypt 2025-11-03 Vince Dioquino

Context & Ripple Effects

The interview follows Trump's pardon of Zhao after reported months of efforts tied to the Trump family's World Liberty Financial; earlier coverage also detailed Zhao's pursuit of a presidential pardon amid money-laundering charges.

The remarks add a public explanation to a decision that had already been linked in coverage to Zhao's efforts involving World Liberty Financial. They do not alter the pardon itself, but they sharpen questions around how it was reached and justified.

First-order effects

Trump publicly frames Zhao's case as politically motivated while disclaiming personal familiarity, placing the rationale for the pardon—not its legal effect—at the center of attention.
Zhao and Binance gain a high-profile defense of the pardon as the company seeks to re-engage with the US market after Zhao's clemency.

Second-order effects

The contrast between Trump's stated lack of familiarity and prior reports of Zhao's outreach is likely to intensify scrutiny of the people and commercial relationships surrounding high-profile crypto clemency decisions.
Other crypto executives and firms may view political engagement as more consequential to regulatory and market access prospects, particularly where executive decisions can materially change an individual's ability to operate.

Third-order effects

If comparable cases accumulate, the US crypto sector could face a more durable perception that enforcement outcomes and market access are shaped partly through political channels, increasing pressure for clearer separation between official decisions and private commercial ties.
The episode is a test of whether crypto's US revival is governed primarily by predictable rules or by relationship-driven interventions; the available coverage does not establish which model will prevail.

The trend: This is one data point in crypto's shift from an enforcement-centered policy debate toward a contest over political access, executive discretion, and US market re-entry.

Discussion

@cobie @cobie on x
@zerohedge Biden Mode
@brianstelter Brian Stelter on x
Only about a third of the Trump interview aired on “60 Minutes.” CBS has published the transcript of the complete interview here —> https://www.cbsnews.com/...
@kylegriffin1 Kyle Griffin on x
Trump just told CBS he doesn't know who Changpeng Zhao is — the cryptocurrency billionaire he pardoned last month with ties to the first family's own crypto venture.
@briantylercohen Brian Tyler Cohen on x
From the party that wails about “autopen” pardons on an endless loop comes “I know nothing about it.”
@acyn @acyn on x
Reporter: Changpeng Zhao pled guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money laundering laws. Why did you pardon him? Trump: Okay, are you ready? I don't know who he is. [video]
@mikenellis Mike Nellis on x
Donald Trump just admitted on 60 Minutes that he has no idea who the fuck he's pardoning. I knew he was selling pardons, but I assumed he was at least somewhat engaged. But this explains so much. The most corrupt president in American history.
@mattm0720 Matt on x
It is absolute journalistic malpractice to not follow up on this and ask if he used auto pen. Awful job by Nora, but not surprising considering the media is not capable of doing their jobs m.
@meidastouch @meidastouch on x
If Trump does not know the people he is pardoning, all of his pardons should be put under immediate review. We don't make the rules. Was this done with auto pen?
@bulwarkonline @bulwarkonline on x
Q: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao of Binance? Trump: “Are you ready? I don't know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.” [video]
@conorlynch04 Conor Lynch on x
Lol the media spent years in Joe Biden doesn't know what's happening in his White House discourse and all the alarm bells are sounding that this is even worse and they won't touch it.
@atrupar Aaron Rupar on x
O'DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao? TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him. TRUMP: Here's the thing — I know nothing [video]
@aaronparnas Aaron Parnas on x
This is worse than signing a pardon with an autopen.
@angry_staffer @angry_staffer on x
Wow president autopen doesn't know who he's pardoning
@malinowski Tom Malinowski on x
Everyone complaining that Biden signed some pardons with an autopen should listen to Trump say “I don't know who he is” about a terrorist money laundering Chinese crypto billionaire he just pardoned.
@acosta Jim Acosta on x
[image]
@kaivanshroff Kaivan Shroff on x
Was it an autopen pardon? Or does he have dementia? I'm sure Jake Tapper is (not) on the case.
@darrigomelanie Melanie D'Arrigo on x
Not knowing who you pardoned, if you pardoned them, and who they are when they just gave your family a $2 billion deal and then received a pardon, should be a way bigger controversy than an auto pen.
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
This is remarkable. And not in a good way. When asked by 60 Minutes about the CZ pardon, Trump replies: “I don't know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.”
@wilson__valdez @wilson__valdez on x
Hey so he's literally doing the very thing that they alleged was a huge Biden scandal (despite no actual proof). Cool cool.
@adamscochran Adam Cochran on x
So then who signed the pardon...? Is the President just signing whatever random documents are put in front of him?!
@60minutes @60minutes on x
“I don't know who he is,” says President Trump, claiming he doesn't know Changpeng Zhao (aka C.Z.) a man he pardoned. C.Z. is a billionaire who pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money laundering laws. The government said at the time that he allowed terrorist groups to [vid…
@mattsheffield Matthew Sheffield on x
Trump admitting that all the “auto pen” stuff about Biden was a projection by Republicans. He signs things that his handlers tell him to. It's that simple.
@nktpnd Ankit Panda on bluesky
Latest Trump comments on nuclear testing from CBS suggest he's latched onto the zero-yield controversy; State Department compliance reports in 2021 accused Russia of conducting “experiments” that generated “nuclear yield” (not so for China) www.cbsnews.com/news/read-fu... [image…
@spocko@mastodon.online @spocko@mastodon.online on mastodon
I just read the entire transcript of the 60 Minutes interview. OMG — Brian Stelter wrote: — Only 1/3 of the Trump interview aired on “60 Minutes.” CBS has published the transcript of the complete interview. — It's BIZARRE, especially the way he talks about CBS paying him …
r/thescoop r on reddit
After paying Trump millions in extortion money under the guise of editing an interview with Kamala Harris, CBS heavily edits last night's Trump interview, including where he loses his cool. …
r/inthenews r on reddit
'I don't know who he is,' says Trump after pardoning crypto tycoon
r/AnythingGoesNews r on reddit
'I don't know who he is,' says Trump after pardoning crypto tycoon
r/politics r on reddit
'I don't know who he is,' says Trump after pardoning crypto tycoon
@tshirtnjeans2 @tshirtnjeans2 on x
@DeItaone Just for context, Trump was talking about the “new chip” that's “10 years ahead of everybody else's.” As of right now, that's only GB200 and GB300. This doesn't imply anything about a potential B30A and nobody knows the outcome other than Trump $NVDA https://x.com/...
@pbelesiotis Peter Belesiotis on x
Unclear why anyone thought this was changing. Nothing in Jensen's Fox Business interview indicated otherwise. He was hopeful, but nothing has changed.
@atrupar Aaron Rupar on x
Trump on Nvidia: “He's one of the great geniuses of our time. His chips are 10 years ahead of anybody else's. It's a great American country. It's now the biggest company in the world. Nvidia is really a brilliant company. The new Blackwell that just came out — it's 10 years [vide…
@alex_intel_ Alex on x
Many people don't realize the strength of the China Hawk House republicans. B30 sales to China will not happen without their blessing. Jensen will need to dangle something to them for this to happen. Sorry it's not easy to sell out the USA for some extra profit Jensen
r/NvidiaStock r on reddit
Trump says China, other countries can't have Nvidia's top AI chips
r/StockMarket r on reddit
Trump says China, other countries can't have Nvidia's top AI chips
r/worldnews r on reddit
Trump says China, other countries can't have Nvidia's top AI chips

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