Trump Denies Knowing Binance Founder Zhao or His Pardon Details

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an exclusive interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, President Donald Trump claimed he knew “nothing about” the pardon of Changpeng Zhao, founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The interview, aired on November 6, revealed Trump’s unexpected lack of knowledge regarding Zhao, who had been sentenced to four months in prison. Trump admitted to hearing of Zhao’s sentence but insisted he was unfamiliar with the figure himself.

When asked if he had any thoughts on Zhao’s pardon, Trump stated, “I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.” This remark may seem surprising, as Fox News previously criticized President Joe Biden’s use of the autopen to sign pardons during his administration. The network accused Biden of being unaware of whom he pardoned, a narrative they have been vocal about since Biden’s tenure began.

However, the reporting show’s coverage of Trump’s comments on Zhao’s pardon has been limited. From October 22 to the morning of November 6, Fox News spent only three minutes discussing the pardon of Zhao compared to more than an hour on Biden’s autopen usage.

Fox News personalities addressed Trump’s remarks briefly on their comedic segment, Gutfeld!, with one host calling Trump’s answer on Zhao his “favorite answer ever.” White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich added that Trump’s handling of the situation drew attention due to his own prior claims about Biden’s pardons being invalid because of supposed ignorance.

Following the interview, political commentators started raising questions about the impact of Trump’s claims on public perception concerning digital currencies and pardons. Guy Benson, a Fox contributor, noted on social media that if there is concern regarding Biden’s autopen, then Trump’s unfamiliarity with Zhao’s pardon should raise equal scrutiny.

The balance of media coverage around Trump’s statements suggests a deeper exploration into the complexities of pardons in political discourse, especially amid the current administration’s legal challenges tied to cryptocurrency regulations.