Donald Trump announces pro-crypto transition team

More crypto similarities have emerged between a possible Donald Trump and Kamala Harris administration following an assessment of their advisors.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has named several pro-crypto figures to his transition team ahead of a potential second White House term. While appointing key staff members ahead of an election is procedural, Trump’s pro-crypto team may have increased his appeal to the community.

Trump announced that Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick and America First Policy Institute President Linda McMahon will be team co-chairs.

Lutnick is a public supporter of Bitcoin (BTC) and spoke at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, where Trump said he would create a strategic BTC reserve. McMahon has reportedly proposed adopting cryptocurrencies and private stablecoins as a counter to a central bank digital currency from the Federal Reserve.

Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance will serve as honorary chairman. Vance, who has pushed pro-crypto policies in the U.S. Senate, also became the first person on the presidential ticket to own Bitcoin.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are also part of the fray. Both of Trump’s sons are working on a crypto project. DTJ opened an official Telegram called “The Defiant Ones” to share verified information on the subject. The move was aimed at cracking down on scammers who were using rumors around Trump’s crypto venture to scam investors.

Harris’ advisors

Across the aisle, Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris has hired anti-crypto advisors from President Joe Biden’s administration. According to Bloomberg, Harris is bringing in names like Brian Deese, Bharat Ramamurti, and Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.

Deese is the believed architect of Operation Choke Point 2.0, a plan to drive crypto businesses out of banks and keep digital assets away from traditional financial systems. Adeyemo has played a key role in the Treasury’s crackdown on crypto mixers and has led legislative demands for strict policies on blockchain activities in the United States.

As the industry speculates on advisors and possible appointments, Harris’ silence on crypto policies was a major concern that digital asset advocates have embraced.

NEW EVIDENCE @KamalaHarris WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLODE CRYPTO

Advisor Picks Show Biden Will Continue His Hostile Attitude Towards Crypto

Harris is working alongside Brian Deese and Bharat Ramamurti, two key anti-crypto officials in the Biden administration.

topic 🧵 pic.twitter.com/1cMX4UtXXY

— Alex Thorn (@intangiblecoins) August 13, 2024