Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao stated that he had no connections to President Donald Trump or his sons and described his recent pardon as a "surprise," pushing back against reports that linked his release to political or business favors.
Zhao Denies Deal With Trump Sons' Crypto Firm
On Friday, in an interview with Fox News's Bret Baier on Special Report, Zhao dismissed claims that he or his representatives pursued a deal with World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency company led by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
"There's no deal, there has never been any discussions," Zhao said. "It's as simple as that."
He called the reports "categorically false" and said his lawyers had submitted a clemency petition months earlier without any indication it would be approved.
Trump, White House Defend Crypto Pardon Amid Scrutiny
Zhao said he has never met the president but encountered Eric Trump once at a Bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi.
He described the pardon, granted last month, as unexpected. "It just happened one day," he said.
When asked about the decision, President Trump told CBS News's Norah O'Donnell he didn't know Zhao personally and called his prosecution a "Biden administration witch hunt," reported The Hill.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the pardon, saying the president used his authority to end the "Biden Administration in their war on cryptocurrency."
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Trump Defends Zhao Pardon Amid Backlash From Supporters And Critics
Venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale, a prominent Trump ally, criticized the president's decision to pardon Binance founder CZ, calling it a serious mistake that made it seem as though "massive fraud is happening" around Trump.
Earlier this month, Trump sought to distance himself from Zhao during a "60 Minutes" interview, saying he didn't know the Binance founder personally and describing his prosecution as a "Biden witch hunt."
Trump defended his decision, claiming Zhao had been "highly respected" and "set up" by the Biden administration.
He said he acted on the belief that Zhao had been treated unfairly, emphasizing his limited personal involvement in the case.
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