Democrat lawmaker urges Treasury to cease Trump’s Bitcoin reserve plans
March 13 2025 - 10:05PM
Cointelegraph


A Democrat lawmaker has called on the US Treasury to “cease all
attempts” to create a strategic crypto reserve in the United
States, citing conflicts of interest with US President Donald Trump
and arguing that a stockpile would not benefit the American
people.
House Representative Gerald E. Connolly of Michigan
criticized
the “cryptocurrency reserve” in a March 13 letter to Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent, stating that it provides “no discernible
benefit to the American people” and would instead significantly
enrich the president and his donors.
Connolly, who didn’t discern between the Strategic Bitcoin
Reserve and the Digital Asset
Stockpile, said Trump’s plans would constitute “unsound fiscal
policy” because it chooses certain cryptocurrencies over others via
social media.
Connolly said the Trump administration’s plan would also waste
taxpayer dollars on what the Federal Reserve described as “the
dumbest idea ever.”
“No strategic need has arisen that would necessitate investment
in the volatile and speculative cryptocurrency market,” Connolly,
the ranking Democrat on the House committee on oversight and
government reform, said in the
letter.
“[It] would constitute nothing more than a highly
speculative taxpayer-backed hedge to provide bitcoin speculators
the assurance that when the crash comes, the State will deploy this
fund to rescue it.”
Democrat Gerald E Connolly’s letter to Treasury Secretary
Scott Bessent. Source: US Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats
However, the White House has said that the Digital Asset
Stockpile will only hold onto cryptocurrency already forfeited. At
the same time, the Bitcoin (BTC) reserve will only make
acquisitions through budget-neutral
strategies that won’t impact taxpayers.
Connolly also said that Trump failed to consult with Congress
over the Bitcoin reserve plan, let alone obtain congressional
authorization to create it.
Connolly also alleged there were conflicts of interest between
Trump’s presidential duties and the Trump Organization’s ownership
of the crypto platform World Liberty Financial, in addition to the
Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin.
The Democrat referred to the TRUMP token
as a “money grab” that has allowed Trump-linked entities to cash in
on over $100 million worth of trading fees.
This has been called Trump’s “most lucrative get-rich scheme
yet,” Connolly added.
Related: Bitcoin reserve may end up a ‘potent political
weapon’ — Arthur Hayes
Representative Maxine Waters, a Democrat on the House Financial
Services Committee, also criticized
Trump’s memecoin on Jan. 20, referring to a rug pull while
claiming the launch represented the “worst of crypto.”
Connolly has asked Bessent to provide documents and
communications related to the creation of a Bitcoin reserve and a
complete list of steps the Trump administration has taken to avoid
a conflict of interest.
Connolly also asked for a list of companies in which the
Treasury has crypto-related financial interests. He also asked:
“Has the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset
Markets on which you serve, which has been tasked with developing a
federal regulatory framework to govern the cryptocurrency reserve,
reviewed financial disclosures by the Administration officials,
including but not limited to Elon Musk?”
The Strategic Bitcoin
Reserve will initially use cryptocurrency forfeited in federal
criminal or civil cases. Meanwhile, the Digital Asset Stockpile
will consist of cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, which could
include XRP (XRP), Solana
(SOL), Cardano
(ADA) and Ether
(ETH).
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cease Trump’s Bitcoin reserve plans
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Democrat lawmaker urges Treasury to cease Trump’s
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