Key Takeaways
- PayPal co-founder David Sacks has been appointed as Donald Trump’s “White House AI and Crypto Czar.”
- Trump said Sacks would work on giving the crypto industry the clarity it needs to thrive in the country.
- The President-elect has been putting digital assets at the forefront of his new administration.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed PayPal co-founder and former chief operating officer David Sacks as the new “White House AI and Crypto Czar.”
It marks the latest move by the President-elect to appoint his cabinet with individuals who will examine reshaping U.S. policy and bringing pro-crypto legislation into the country.
Sacks Appointed as AI and Crypto Czar
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Dec. 6, Trump wrote that Sacks would guide policy on AI and crypto, which were “two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness.”
The President-elect said that Sacks would work on a legal framework “so the crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for and can thrive in the U.S.”
Sacks will also work on other priorities that Trump made clear in his campaign: safeguarding free speech and ending “Big Tech bias and censorship.”
Trump has also appointed Sacks to lead his Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, a committee of experts that helps the President make important policy decisions.
Trump’s Pro-Crypto Government
President-elect Trump has made several promises regarding the future of crypto, and it looks as if he is choosing his cabinet accordingly.
During his campaign, Trump proposed to establish a Bitcoin reserve alongside the dollar, eliminate capital gains tax on crypto profits and make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.”
On Thursday, Trump announced that pro-crypto advocate Paul Atkins would replace Gary Gensler as the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The crypto industry celebrated the appointment, with Trump stating that he “recognizes that digital assets and other innovations are crucial to making America greater than ever before.”
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said Atkins was an “outstanding choice” and that the former SEC commissioner would “bring common sense” back to the agency.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
