Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has ignited speculation about his political connections amid a significant rise in XRP’s value. During a Friday interview with Fox Business, Garlinghouse was asked about rumors of a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump, coinciding with XRP’s surge.
The executive neither confirmed nor denied the meeting, stating: “I’m not going to comment on too many specifics here.” However, the Fox Business anchor interpreted his response as confirmation, saying: “To me, it’s a yes.” Nonetheless, there has been no confirmation of a meeting between Garlinghouse and Trump. Instead, the Ripple chief highlighted his active involvement in the election cycle, emphasizing his focus on pro-crypto innovation and regulatory clarity. He said:
We have been active throughout this election cycle and been very pro-crypto, pro-innovation.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring that Congress and the new administration recognize the opportunities of a “totally new day.”
Garlinghouse criticized the U.S.’ “regulation through enforcement” approach, calling for a shift toward more transparent policies. He believes that the potential resignation of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler could foster a friendlier regulatory environment. “We finally have a crypto president. The crypto industry has embraced Trump. Trump has embraced the crypto industry. I think it’s very genuine,” he opined. “XRP’s up 70 plus percent since election day. The best-performing crypto assets are all U.S. companies or U.S. technologies. This shouldn’t be a surprise,” he further shared.
Ripple remains embroiled in a lawsuit with the SEC, which recently sought to appeal some of District Judge Analisa Torres’ rulings on XRP. The possible departure of Gensler could influence the case’s direction. Garlinghouse’s comments express optimism for a new regulatory approach, though Ripple still faces significant legal challenges.
