History was made at the bitcoin conference in Nashville last Saturday as former President Donald Trump delivered a keynote speech. A special moment in U.S. history, the event was attended by 10 senators and two presidential candidates. Despite surviving a recent assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump showed no signs of being deterred.
The Republican’s Pro-Bitcoin Stance
Trump’s speech outlined the Republican Party’s commitment to bitcoin. Trump said that on his first day in office, he would fire Gary Gensler and appoint a new Securities and Exchange Commission chairman who supports innovation rather than hindering it. He added that America would become a “bitcoin mining powerhouse” and urged supporters to never sell their bitcoin.
Trump also committed to keeping 100% of all bitcoin the U.S. acquires and to freeing imprisoned darknet market operator Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road. He also confirmed there would be no Central Bank Digital Currency under his presidency and that he would protect people’s financial privacy and autonomy.
I rate the trump performance a B minus.
Pro: he mentioned a strategic reserve.
He agreed to free Ross.
He said he would get rid of Warren and her goons.
He said he would end choke point 2.0
He said he would defend self custodyCons. He kept mentioning crypto
He didn’t…— Fred Krueger (@dotkrueger) July 27, 2024
Despite his support, Trump’s frequent references to “crypto” instead of “bitcoin” suggested he might not have been fully briefed. He also mentioned that he needed to be nice to the bitcoin community until after the election.
The event featured other bitcoin-friendly voices, including independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis.
1M strategic #bitcoin reserve for the US! The @SenLummis bill is already drafted…(I helped a bit with some of the Fed balance sheet mechanics.) Bring it on! The Fed would be forced to finally learn bitcoin if this passes, instead of skewering & those of us who tried to help it pic.twitter.com/KlB1bR4dky
— Caitlin Long ⚡️ (@CaitlinLong_) July 27, 2024
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also spoke at the conference, discussing the policies he would implement under his presidency including leveraging bitcoin as a strategic national asset. He stated, “Bitcoin is a technology of freedom, independence, and the currency of hope.” RFK Jr. pledged to direct the Treasury to purchase 550 bitcoin per day as a reserve asset from the first day of his presidency and to transfer approximately 200,000 bitcoin to the U.S. Treasury.
Influence Of Satoshi Action Fund
The language and ideas in the Republican platform reveal the influence of Satoshi Action Fund. This organization has been key in educating lawmakers and pushing for state-level legislation that supports bitcoin. Four states have enacted such laws, and their success in getting over 20 states to consider bitcoin-friendly policies.
A Critical Moment For American Politics
By embedding ‘Bitcoin Rights’ into their party platform, the GOP is signaling a clear alignment with pro-crypto policies that could shape the future of financial regulation in the United States. The convergence of political resilience and financial innovation marks a defining moment for Trump and the wider acceptance of bitcoin in mainstream politics.
As the GOP embraces ‘Bitcoin Rights,’ the United States could see more federal policies supporting cryptocurrency, influenced by grassroots advocacy and state-level successes.
Bitcoin’s Bipartisan Appeal
Bitcoin’s resilience and growing interest from both parties show that it is not a partisan issue. While the GOP has clearly defined its pro-bitcoin stance, the Biden administration has also acknowledged the importance of bitcoin. David Bailey captured it perfectly: “It’s not a red party thing, it’s not a blue party thing, it’s an orange party thing.
By embracing a nonpartisan approach, the United States can ensure a stable and progressive financial environment, leading the way for global adoption and regulation of bitcoin.
On Wednesday, July 10, key administration officials and prominent figures like Mark Cuban and Mike Brock attended a bitcoin roundtable organized by Congressman Ro Khanna in Washington. When asked about the outcome of the meeting, Mike Brock told Forbes, “I was asked as a condition of being there to not violate the confidence of the discussions, but I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by the constructive engagement that was being shown.”
Anita Posch, founder of Bitcoin For Fairness, tweeted about the broader perspective on bitcoin’s utility:
The view that Bitcoin is an investment only and a partisan issue is very typical for US-Americans and Europeans as it ignores billions of people in the rest of the world who need bitcoin as a tool to escape their authoritarian regimes’ financial oppression.
— Anita ⚡️ (@AnitaPosch) July 14, 2024
The influence of organizations like the Satoshi Action Fund, advocating for pro-bitcoin legislation, demonstrates the apolitical momentum behind bitcoin. As the U.S. continues to shape its bitcoin policies, global regulatory frameworks are likely to follow. Dennis Porter from the Satoshi Action Fund told Forbes, “When the U.S. acts, the rest of the world follows.”
We are witnessing game theory play out in real-time, as nations and organizations adapt to the growing significance of bitcoin in the global financial system.