At a rally in Laconia, New Hampshire, former U.S. President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump once again delved into the topic of central bank digital currency (CBDC). Trump expressed his "full trust" in former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who had withdrawn from the election after a disappointing match. During the rally, Trump highlighted Ramaswamy as the only presidential candidate who included a cryptocurrency framework in his plan. He urged Ramaswamy to address potential CBDC issues in the United States.
While acknowledging that he previously disliked Ramaswamy until defeating him, Trump reiterated his recent statement that he would never allow the creation of a CBDC. Trump had initially mentioned CBDC during a campaign speech in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on January 17. In that speech, he expressed concerns that a CBDC would grant the federal government "absolute control" over citizens' funds. Trump's stance on CBDC has been straightforward, emphasizing his opposition to its development.
Both Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who also addressed the topic during their presidential campaigns, have suspended their campaigns. Ramaswamy withdrew on January 16 and endorsed Trump, while DeSantis officially ended his campaign on January 21. DeSantis, who lost to Trump by a significant margin in the Iowa caucuses, affirmed his support for Trump, despite being mocked by the former president in recent months.
On January 19, U.S. Representative Tom Emmer expressed support for Trump's commitment to cracking down on CBDCs. Emmer looks forward to collaborating with Trump in opposing the expansion of the government surveillance state. Emmer has consistently shown support for digital assets and has been vocal in opposing regulatory efforts by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its chairman, Gary Gensler.
