President Donald Trump faced backlash from critics on Sunday after claiming he didn’t know Changpeng Zhao, the Binance cryptocurrency exchange founder he recently pardoned. In an interview with “60 Minutes,” correspondent Norah O’Donnell highlighted Zhao’s 2023 conviction for violating anti-money-laundering laws, with U.S. officials accusing Binance of failing to report suspicious transactions linked to terrorist groups and child porn.
When questioned about pardoning Zhao, Trump responded by saying he didn’t know who Zhao was and dismissed the conviction as part of a “Biden witch hunt.” Despite Zhao serving four months in prison and Binance paying hefty fines, Trump maintained his ignorance on the matter, attributing any involvement to his sons who are “not in government.”
Critics pointed out Trump’s previous criticisms of Joe Biden’s use of an autopen, suggesting that pardons signed by autopen should be considered invalid. Trump’s admission of not knowing whom he was pardoning drew further criticism, with many questioning his decision-making process. The article also highlighted the importance of supporting independent journalism and encouraged readers to become JS Members to keep factual reporting strong.
