Trump Dodges Call to Divest Crypto Stakes as Congress Weighs Regulation

President Donald Trump declined on Friday to say whether he will divest from his personal cryptocurrency ventures, telling reporters at a White House press conference that he has been involved with Bitcoin since 2016 and crediting his support for helping the United States “build an industry.” When pressed on whether stepping back could speed passage of pending crypto legislation, the president said only that, without U.S. engagement, “China would” dominate the sector. Democratic lawmakers have signaled they may withdraw support for bipartisan crypto market-structure bills unless Trump distances himself financially from digital assets, arguing that his holdings pose an unacceptable conflict of interest. The president’s refusal to commit to divestment leaves the legislative outlook uncertain as Congress prepares to debate the measures in the coming months. Trump emphasized that his adult children, not he, now handle most family investments in digital assets. He added that his interest in Bitcoin predates his 2023 reelection bid, suggesting his exposure should not impede policy making. The White House did not immediately respond to follow-up questions on whether any formal ethics review of the president’s crypto investments is under way.