News
RFK Jr. Questions Trump’s Recent Pro-Crypto Tone as Two Compete for Votes
By Stephanie Kelly
NASHVILLE (Reuters) – Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday questioned Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s recent pro-cryptocurrency stance, as the two vie for cryptocurrency holders’ votes in November’s election at the Bitcoin 2024 conference.
Trump will speak on Saturday at the conference in Nashville, Tennessee, which is expected to draw about 20,000 people.
BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT
Kennedy was favored by 8% of voters in a recent Reuters poll, which could be significant if he attracts voters from Trump or Kamala Harris, who is poised to become the Democratic nominee. Kennedy still has to qualify for election in several states.
Kennedy’s comments come after Trump recently suggested Kennedy support the former president’s campaign.
KEY QUOTES
“President Trump has orange hair… But I have an orange heart,” Kennedy said in his speech at the conference, referring to the color of the bitcoin logo. “I hope President Trump’s commitment to bitcoin is more than just political expediency.”
Kennedy promised that if elected president, he would order the U.S. Treasury to purchase enough bitcoin to create a reserve comparable to the U.S. gold reserves. He would also make direct ownership of bitcoin tax-free.
CONTEXT
Trump recently criticized Democrats’ attempts to regulate the industry and said he would like to see bitcoin mining expanded by U.S. companies, even though he called bitcoin a “scam” in 2021.
The Republican Party has increasingly courted the votes of cryptocurrency holders by promising looser regulation.
WHAT’S NEXT
Attendees at Friday’s conference said they were looking forward to Trump’s speech on Saturday.
At the conference, red hats were on sale that read “Make Bitcoin Great Again,” a play on Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again.”
THE ANSWER
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly, editing by Rosalba O’Brien)