Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has denied claims that his presidential pardon from Donald Trump was influenced by financial or political ties, saying he was as surprised as anyone when the news broke. Speaking to Fox News on Friday, CZ revealed that he had never personally met Trump before or after the pardon was issued in October. “I never physically met or spoke with Trump,” he said, adding that the only interaction with the Trump family was a single encounter with Eric Trump during the Bitcoin Middle East and North Africa conference in Abu Dhabi. “There is no business relationship between me, Binance, and World Liberty Finance,” Zhao stated. He explained that he was unaware of the pardon’s progress throughout the process, saying: “I did not know when or if it was going to happen. I believe my lawyers submitted the petition in April, and it took a few months. I didn’t know the progress. There was no indication of how far it went along, etc. Then, it happened one day.” Mixed Reactions and Political Backlash The pardon drew polarized reactions. Supporters within the crypto community hailed it as a positive signal for digital assets and a break from what they described as the Biden administration’s anti-crypto stance. However, Democratic lawmakers quickly criticized the decision, accusing Trump of corruption and self-interest. During a press briefing following the pardon, Trump said he didn’t know CZ personally but was informed that the case against him was politically motivated. “He had a lot of support, and they said that what he did is not even a crime, it wasn’t a crime. He was persecuted by the Biden administration,” Trump remarked. Democrats Question Pardon Motives Representative Maxine Waters led accusations that Trump’s decision may have been linked to financial contributions from the crypto sector. Waters claimed Trump engaged in a “pay-to-play” arrangement, suggesting the pardon was in exchange for potential investments in ventures tied to the Trump family, such as World Liberty Financial (WLFI). Several Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, signed a letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the pardon. The lawmakers demanded transparency about communications between Trump’s campaign, Binance, and associated financial entities. While speculation continues, CZ maintains that his pardon was handled legally through his attorneys and that no financial arrangements were made or discussed.
