President TrumppardonedLast month billionaire crypto founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money-laundering violations in 2023. Zhao’s company, Binance alsomade a business dealThe Trump family incorporated its crypto venture World Liberty Financial in May. But when the president recently sat down with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” he gave usThis unforgettable moment:
“Norah O’Donnell: At the time the government said that CZ had essentially caused significant harm to US national security by allowing terrorist groups like Hamas to move millions of dollars. Why did you forgive him?
Donald Trump: Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is. I know he got a four month sentence or something and I heard it was the Biden witch hunt.
You heard right – he doesn’t know the billionaire he just forgave.
According to The New York Times, ZhaoHired lawyers and lobbyists with deep ties to TrumpApologized to him, and Binance struck that lucrative deal with Trump’s crypto company that was reportedly worth millions per year. So, when asked if this sounds like “pay to play,” Trump shrugged it off like this:
“Norah O’Donnell: How do you address the presence of pay for games?
Donald Trump: Well, here’s the thing. I don’t know anything about it because I’m too busy with other work. That’s all I can tell you. No, that’s all I can tell you. Umm, my sons are involved in this. I’m glad they are because it’s probably a great industry, crypto. I think it’s good.”
That answer roughly leaves us with two options.
Option one: He’s lying – which makes sense, considering Zhao’s deal directly benefits his family.
Option Two: He is telling the truth, and in fact he signed the presidential pardon without knowing who it was for.
Either way, it’s not really a profile in leadership.
If the President of the United States can’t remember who he’s pardoning — or doesn’t bother to ask — what message does that send about accountability at the highest levels? Especially the same president who insisted Joe Biden for months was so weak he didn’t even know who he was condoning by accusing him of using an autopen machine.
During the same “60 Minutes” interview, Trump argued, “Biden didn’t have a clue. He used a machine, the AutoPen, illegally, as you know, to grant pardons to people.”
So let me make this clear – it’s outrageous if Biden doesn’t know who he’s pardoning, but it’s totally fine if Trump doesn’t know?
At some point, we have to stop repeating “I don’t know him” as a political strategy. Denial cannot be the default response.
Lindsay Granger is a NewsNation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of his on-air commentary.
