Co-founder of BTC Media eleven years ago, I am passionate about the future of Bitcoin – and in the spirit of freedom of speech and democracy on this election night – I feel compelled to share my first opinion article in Bitcoin Magazine. Weeks ago, our editor-in-chief, Aaron Van Wirdum, published his Take: “Trump doesn’t care about Bitcoin”, and he invited the submission of a counter-record.
Our company was founded with the mission of hyperbitcoinization. Since the beginning, educating Main Street about Bitcoin has been core to our values. We have made great strides. I believe that Trump – as permanent president – with pro-Bitcoin advisors could significantly accelerate Main Street’s embrace of Bitcoin, create the most pro-Bitcoin economy in the world and commute Ross Ulbricht’s sentence …a powerful trifecta.
The resounding skepticism in Aaron’s TAKE is not a sentiment I share; I rather trust Trump’s outspoken support for Bitcoin. His inner circle is full of avid Bitcoiners and those who have expressed their support for Bitcoin: his children, JD Vance, Elon Musk, RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Senators Lummis, Blackburn, Hagerty and Scott and many more.
As a newcomer to the Bitcoin space, Trump, like many, is still learning. I recognize and appreciate his ever-student curiosity and desire to fully understand the future of money. A US president with exposure to Bitcoin, who surrounds himself with pro-Bitcoin advisors and policies, is certainly a more favorable alternative than the openly hostile administrations of the past and present.
In Aaron’s TAKE, Trump was punished for failing to complete his own bitcoin purchase during a campaign stop at PubKey – a Bitcoin bar in Greenwich Village; again, there’s no stones to throw here. I was thrilled that Trump accepted PubKey owner Thomas Pacchia’s invitation to drop the campaign (and as I understand it, that was an invitation to both VP Harris and Trump, which only Trump accepted). The transaction was a gesture made possible by the community, and was a well-received and celebratory moment for that small company and for the global network of Bitcoin companies that have fought for this level of acceptance by politicians.
Like others, you may be wondering if donations and votes are the driving force behind Trump’s interest in Bitcoin. Does it really matter what drives any of us when we strive for a common good? We are a diverse community with different reasons to embrace Bitcoin – whether it’s a desire for financial sovereignty, an investment opportunity, a sudden inability to purchase basic necessities during a protest, a distrust in the existing financial system and, yes , even politicians looking for Bitcoin community support through donations and to vote.
The Bitcoin community knows that Bitcoin will flourish and prosper despite politics; However, not all issues are apolitical. At the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville (and the Libertarian National Convention), Trump stated unequivocally that he will release Ross Ulbricht if given the chance as president. The Ulbricht family needs a miracle, and it is Trump who promises to deliver it.
I had the golden opportunity to meet Trump backstage at Bitcoin 2024 (alongside two strong, intelligent women – his granddaughter Kai and her mother Vanessa). I found Trump warm, humorous and sincere. I warmly welcome Trump to Bitcoin and appreciate the bipartisan support in freeing Ross and our mission of hyperbitcoinization.
I encourage you all to vote on Tuesday and join Bitcoin Magazine and Stand With Crypto The road to election daylive from Las Vegas next Tuesday, November 5, 2024, starting at 3:00 PM PST.
This article is a To take. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.