Trump defends World Liberty Financial stake on 60 Minutes amid conflict-of-interest questions
President Donald Trump confirmed on 60 Minutes that he co-owns crypto firm World Liberty Financial, but said he knows nothing about its UAE-linked funding and defended his family business holdings.
In a 60 Minutes interview, President Donald Trump confirmed his co-ownership of cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial while denying detailed knowledge of its operations or reported foreign investments. Asked about ties to investors in the United Arab Emirates, Trump repeatedly stated that he knows nothing about it and emphasized that his sons run the business.[3][5][6][7][8]
When pressed on why he does not divest from the crypto firm or whether foreign backers might believe they are purchasing influence, Trump remarked, "I don't know, but that's true." He dismissed conflict-of-interest concerns by arguing that "every president has a problem" dating back to George Washington, and asked, "How do you divest from cash?" He also stated that he cannot tell his sons to halt their business pursuits for four years just because he is president.[4][5][8]
After the interviewer pointed out that no previous president had owned a cryptocurrency company, Trump framed crypto as the modern equivalent of historic business assets, asserting that earlier commanders in chief held "whatever crypto was at the time," such as oil. Trump also addressed his broader personal wealth, saying the bulk of his money is handed to the biggest firms on Wall Street to invest in index funds and adding, "I have no idea what the hell they're buying."[1][4][5][8][9][11]
Key facts
- Trump confirmed on 60 Minutes that he is a co-owner of World Liberty Financial.
- Trump said he knows nothing about UAE-linked investment in the crypto venture, adding that his sons run the company.
- Asked whether foreign investors think they are buying influence, Trump said, "I don't know, but that's true," and argued every president faces conflicts.
- When pressed on divesting from World Liberty Financial, Trump asked, "How do you divest from cash?"
- Trump compared crypto holdings to traditional assets such as oil, arguing past presidents owned "whatever crypto was at the time."
- Trump said most of his money is invested in index funds by a major Wall Street firm, remarking, "I have no idea what the hell they're buying."
Sources · 11 sources
- CN
crypto.news@cryptodotnewsPost on X ·
JUST IN: Trump says he has no idea what Wall Street firms are buying with his money Asked about World Liberty Financial in a 60 Minutes interview, Trump said most of his money is managed by a major Wall Street firm and that he does not know what investments it makes. https://t.co/pcF97FzAPs
Open source - WG
Watcher.Guru@WatcherGuruPost on X ·
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇦🇪 President Trump says he "knows nothing" of UAE-linked investment in his family crypto firm. https://t.co/InMvEz3iyH
Open source - CO
CoinDesk@CoinDeskPost on X ·
LATEST: President Trump confirms he is a co-owner of @worldlibertyfi in a 60 Minutes interview, but says he knows nothing about it when asked about UAE-linked investors, adding “my sons run the business.” https://t.co/W281exbfOn
Open source - TB
The Block@TheBlockCoPost on X ·
THE BLOCK: Donald Trump said on 60 Minutes that "every president has a problem" when asked about the conflict-of-interest accusations involving his and his family's businesses, including in crypto. ethereum:0xda5e1988097297dcdc1f90d4dfe7909e847cbef6 When the interviewer pressed that no previous president had owned a cryptocurrency company, Trump countered that past presidents had held other major assets, such as oil, framing crypto as a modern equivalent of traditional business holdings. Trump also argued that he cannot tell his sons to stop running their businesses for four years just because he is president.
Open source - UW
unusual_whales@unusual_whalesPost on X ·
Reporter: If I said Joe Biden is the part owner of a company and it has all of these investments from the Middle East, you would say that sounds corrupt, right? Trump: Well, he did have a lot of different things. Reporter: Sure, but why is it different for you? Trump: Because I know nothing about it. I made a lot of money before. Reporter: But then why do you need the money? Why not just divest, walk away? Trump: I do. Reporter: No, you didn’t. Trump: I have a company. My sons are in the company. It’s hard to say to them, don’t do anything anymore for four years because I’m president. Reporter: But you could divest from the company yourself and let them do whatever they want. That’s all. You’re not, like, sitting in the Oval Office thinking, Thank God I have that $50 million in World Liberty Financial, right? Trump: How do you divest from cash? Reporter: Do you think the people, the people who are investing in the company that you co-own with your sons, who are coming from foreign countries, who want things from your government, don’t you think they think that they are buying influence? Trump: I don’t know, but that’s true. Look, every president has a problem. You have people, and they work for you. And guys like you cover them, and you do profiles on them, and they become like everybody thinks that Trump loves them and everything else, which in some cases is true and some cases are not. This is true for every president, going back to George Washington. Reporter: Every president has not owned a cryptocurrency company, however. Trump: But they own something, whatever crypto was at the time. Okay, you know, there’s crypto. And before that, there was oil. Okay. And every president has had this problem.
Open source - TB
The BlockArticle ·
Trump says he knows ‘nothing’ about UAE-linked investment in his crypto firm Trump said he "knows nothing" about the UAE-linked investment in the crypto firm he co-owns, and that his sons run the business.
Open source - CB
Crypto Banter@crypto_banterPost on X ·
🚨TRUMP DEFENDS WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL ON 60 MINUTES! @60Minutes pressed President Trump on his co-ownership of World Liberty Financial, noting the company has UAE-linked investors. Trump said he knows nothing about it, that his sons run the business, and that every president has faced similar conflicts.
Open source - UN
UnchainedArticle ·
Trump Defends World Liberty Stake, Says Past Presidents Owned ‘Whatever Crypto Was at the Time’ President Donald Trump confirmed that he is a co-owner of World Liberty Financial , but said he knows “nothing about it,” in a 60 Minutes interview with CBS News. The interview was recorded at the White House on Friday, Nov. 6, and published Nov. 8. Trump’s remarks came in response to questions from interviewer Ross Douthat about the project’s reported ties to the United Arab Emirates and whether that did not amount to corruption. Get Unchained’s crypto news in your inbox with the free Unchained Daily newsletter . Democrats Gain Subpoena Power The exchange was Trump’s first sit-down interview since Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Republicans lost both the House and the Senate . Mike Katz , a partner at Manatt, said on Unchained on Nov. 5 that congressional committees “now have subpoena power” and predicted they would examine World Liberty’s funding and its links to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. “I think they’re gonna be looking for self-dealing,” Katz said. The Divestment Question Douthat asked, “Why not just divest?” Trump answered that the bulk of his fortune is handed to the biggest firms on Wall Street to invest in index funds . He asked Douthat in the interview, “how do you divest from cash?” He also pointed to his family business: “My sons run the company.” Douthat also asked whether the overseas investors in the business, which Trump co-owns with his sons, think their money buys them influence. “I don’t know,” Trump replied, adding that presidents have faced the same problem “going back to George Washington.” When Douthat countered that not every president has owned “a cryptocurrency company,” Trump said earlier presidents owned “whatever crypto was at the time,” citing oil. Douthat also cited a Forbes report that Trump’s net worth had risen by $3 billion since he returned to office. Trump replied that “so did everyone” and said, “I devote almost no time to my net worth.” Katz said on Unchained that the Trump family’s crypto dealings would be a focus for the new Democratic majorities. “I think it’s an important target,” he said. Related Listen: Why Sherrod Brown May Not Be Crypto’s Biggest Problem in the Senate The post Trump Defends World Liberty Stake, Says Past Presidents Owned ‘Whatever Crypto Was at the Time’ appeared first on Unchained .
Open source - CO
Cointelegraph@CointelegraphPost on X ·
🇺🇸 JUST IN: Trump tells 60 Minutes, when asked about World Liberty Financial: “Most of my money is given to the biggest firm on Wall Street to invest.” “I have no idea what the hell they’re buying.” https://t.co/yKz5dI7BJJ
Open source - CO
CoindeskArticle ·
Trump says he knows ‘nothing’ about World Liberty’s UAE ties as Justin Sun challenges filings Trump confirmed he co-owns World Liberty, whose UAE ownership could derail Justin Sun’s federal lawsuit over frozen WLFI tokens
Open source - LS
Laura Shin@laurashinPost on X ·
Asked on 60 Minutes why he doesn’t divest from World Liberty Financial, President Trump pointed to index funds and his family business: “My sons run the company.” https://t.co/nDc5jqWVjF
Open source