Author: Cheyenne Ligon, CoinDesk; Translated by: Baishui, Jinse Finance
Trump has promised to commutate Silk Road founder Ross Ulbrich's life sentence to time served if he is re-elected president.
"If you vote for me, on day one, I will commutate Ross Ulbrich's life sentence to time served," Trump said Saturday evening during a speech to the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C. "He's served 11 years, and we're bringing him home."
Hours before making these remarks, Trump praised the cryptocurrency industry on social media, writing on Truth Social:
“I am very positive and open to cryptocurrency companies and all things related to this emerging industry. Our Country must be a leader in this space,” Trump wrote, adding that President Joe Biden “wants (the cryptocurrency industry) to die a slow and painful death. That will never happen to me!”
Trump pledged to release Ulbricht during his evening address, drawing loud cheers from the audience, many of whom held signs reading "Free Ross."
In 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years in prison — effectively life in prison without the possibility of parole — for creating and operating Silk Road. The now-defunct Dark Web marketplace was used to anonymously buy and sell goods, but was primarily used for drugs. Silk Road operated from 2011 to 2013 and is widely considered to be the first real-world use case for Bitcoin.
Ulbricht has become a martyr to many in the crypto community, as well as to many libertarians who see his harsh sentence as a government overreach and a violation of his constitutional rights. In 2018, libertarians called on then-President Trump to pardon Ulbricht.
Before Trump's presidency ended in January 2021, he granted clemency to 143 people, pardoned 73, including Ripple board member Ken Kurson, and commuted the sentences of 70 others. He did not grant clemency to Ulbricht, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange or Edward Snowden, who published detailed information about the U.S.
Trump also made more general comments about cryptocurrencies at the convention, telling attendees he would “stop Joe Biden’s plan to crush cryptocurrency — we’re going to stop it.”
“I will make sure that the future of cryptocurrency and the future of Bitcoin will be driven in America, not overseas. I will support the right to self-custody,” Trump said to cheers. “To the 50 million cryptocurrency holders across this country, I say this: I will keep Elizabeth Warren and her goons away from your Bitcoin, and I will never allow the creation of a central bank digital currency.”
Trump has warmed up significantly to cryptocurrencies in recent months, making several public comments in support of cryptocurrencies and becoming the first major party presidential candidate to accept cryptocurrency donations.
