LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump, stated he and his youthful brother Eric Trump “orange-pilled” their father after the household and its group skilled pervasive de-banking within the wake of Trump’s first presidential time period.
Talking at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Don Jr. stated he wasn’t an early adopter of bitcoin or crypto, solely discovering his technique to blockchain know-how after realizing the “fragile” nature of the normal monetary system.
“We had been actual property guys, we had been arduous belongings, we constructed buildings — [bitcoin] was a bit nebulous,” he stated throughout a fireplace chat with Rumble CEO and founder Chris Pavlovski. “However as soon as we obtained into that political sector…we had been getting de-banked, we had been getting de-insured, we had been getting de-everything. It was brutal.”
Don Jr. stated he and Eric “positively” had a hand in serving to their father, who referred to as bitcoin a rip-off in 2021, perceive the potential of crypto and blockchain know-how.
“We had been those who had been getting subpoenaed in nonsense lawsuits, we had been those who’re coping with getting de-banked … we’re the blokes who in all probability noticed that first-hand,” he stated of him and his brother. “We in all probability, possibly obtained there a bit of bit earlier than him. As soon as we began explaining the potential, he’s a fast examine … he obtained there fairly rapidly.”
As soon as Trump embraced crypto on the marketing campaign path, Don Jr. stated he obtained amusing out of different candidates, together with Democratic nominee and former Vice President Kamala Harris, leaping on the bitcoin bandwagon.
“I’d pay cash, some huge cash, possibly my whole crypto pockets, to have Kamala Harris clarify blockchain know-how,” Don Jr. stated. “That might be the best phrase salad within the historical past of Kamala Harris phrase salad.”
Don Jr. added that his father “cares about doing what’s proper for America,” saying the democratization of finance “is a elementary tenant after, like, world peace, of what he desires to perform on this administration.”
The Trump household’s crypto ventures, together with the TRUMP memecoin and World Liberty Monetary, have been closely criticized in each the trade and the federal government for being opaque and allegedly presenting conflicts of curiosity. Nonetheless, since Trump took workplace, there was a renewed push for brand new laws and the passage of crypto laws, in addition to the obvious finish to the so-called regulation-by-enforcement practiced by regulators throughout former President Joe Biden’s administration.
With stablecoin laws seemingly across the nook, doubtlessly adopted by a complete market construction invoice and strategic bitcoin reserve laws, Don Jr. stated the improved regulatory readability for the trade will likely be a boon for bitcoin.
“I believe you have got the proper storm for this factor simply going to the moon, as they are saying,” he stated.
