As the plot to the White House thickens, candidates spare no effort to woo potential voters for the November 2024 U.S. elections. Notably, former president Donald Trump in an obvious appeal to bag the crypto community has reiterated his pledge to commute Ross Ulbricht’s sentence.
This comes days after the independent candidate in the U.S. Presidential election, Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) vowed to support the leading crypto asset Bitcoin (BTC) with U.S Dollar Reserves.
Trump’s Promise at the Bitcoin Conference
Trump restated the promise at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in Nashville while delivering his address to his teeming supporters. According to the former U.S president, a vote for a second term at the White House will see him fulfill that pledge.
“Today, I repeat my pledge to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served. It’s enough!” Trump proclaimed. Trump’s pledge received loud cheers from the crowd of supporters signaling approval.
For context, Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the online illegal drug marketplace Silk Road, has been serving out a double life sentence with an additional 40 years without the possibility of parole. Ulbricht’s crime includes computer hacking conspiracy, money laundering, narcotics trafficking and running a criminal enterprise.
Public Reactions and Criticisms
Although the crowd cheered Trump on, his renewed pledge has received criticisms from some members of the public. Ron Filipkowski, a former Federal and State Prosecutor, in his comments on X alleged the Republican candidate lacks details of Ulbricht’s crimes and just wants to secure votes.
“Just to be clear, he never heard of this guy until a day before the libertarian convention last month. He still doesn’t know anything about what this guy did, but he wants votes,” Filipkowski posted.
Other critics expressed concerns over Trump’s stance to pardon someone responsible for sale and distribution of illegal products and narcotics which has allegedly claimed lives.
Is Donald Trump Playing to the Gallery?
However, political experts say Trump may be heeding the suggestion of pollsters who know that returning for a second term requires currying favor from many voters, including the crypto community. Notably, before the Bitcoin Conference, David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin Magazine had listed the release of Ross Ulbricht as one of the major criteria to secure commitment from crypto lovers.
At the Bitcoin Conference, Trump also stated that if reelected, he would ensure America becomes the global capital of Bitcoins and cryptos, prevent the establishment of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and ensure he protects people’s rights to self-custody of virtual assets.
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