Trump Rejects Familiarity with Binance Crypto Uncle Changpeng Zhao – Major Indicator?

Trump’s on-air assertion that he does not recognize Binance founder Changpeng Zhao “CZ” following his pardon is igniting discussions in Washington and throughout the crypto community.

In a “60 Minutes” interview broadcast on Sunday, President Donald Trump stated that he is unfamiliar with Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the Binance founder he exonerated the previous month.

He justified the decision as a reaction to what he described as a Biden-era “witch hunt.”

The trading protocol took place during questioning by CBS’s Norah O’Donnell regarding possible conflicts related to the Trump family’s growing crypto asset enterprise.

“I don’t know who he is… I heard it was a Biden witch hunt,” Trump informed O’Donnell, noting that his sons participate in crypto but “they’re not in government.”

Why Did Trump Grant Clemency to Binance’s Crypto Uncle Changpeng Zhao?

The White House and World Liberty Financial (WLF), the Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture, assert that they were uninvolved in Zhao’s clemency.

Zhao pleaded guilty to a Bank Secrecy Act breach in 2023, tied to Binance’s inadequate anti-money laundering protocols.

He received a four-month term in April 2024 and was released from incarceration that September. Binance later consented to pay $4.3 billion and accept an external crypto law monitor. Trump issued a full pardon to Zhao on Oct. 23, 2025.

Earlier reports from Reuters indicated that a UAE-backed firm intended to use WLF’s USD1 stablecoin in a $2 billion arrangement involving Binance.

This report raised questions about conflicts of interest due to the Trump family’s strong connections to WLF.

Another Reuters investigation discovered that the Trump family could profit from revenues generated by the stablecoin.

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Does Trump’s Remark Undermine His Justification for Clemency?

Democratic legislators and ethics advocates criticized the pardon; House Financial Services Committee ranking member Maxine Waters deemed Zhao’s clemency “appalling,” referencing Binance’s previous crypto law issues underscored by U.S. agencies.

The White House has positioned this action as part of concluding an alleged “war on crypto.”

For Binance, this moment demonstrates that the 2023–24 settlement did not resolve U.S. pressures.

The company continues to collaborate with its compliance monitor and seeks to re-enter the American crypto market while minimizing legal risks.

For Trump, his remarks might complicate future claims that any pardon was based on his personal awareness of Zhao’s attempts to address earlier issues.

At the time of publication, BTC was priced around $106,927, marking a 2.85% drop over the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, BNB fluctuated around $993.85, reflecting an -8.10% decline in intraday trading, demonstrating a turbulent session as traders analyzed the interview and continuing political narratives.

The future actions depend on whether Congress or CBS, if pressured, makes the complete interview accessible.

It also hinges on whether the White House releases a written justification for the pardon that aligns with Trump’s on-air declarations.

Markets will be closely monitoring for indications that this contention might hinder Binance’s aspirations to regain wider access in the U.S. or complicate the administration’s pro-crypto strategies.

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The article Trump Denies Knowing Binance Crypto Uncle Changpeng Zhao – Top Signal? first appeared on 99Bitcoins.