Molly White

The full CBS interview with Trump about the pardon of Binance's Changpeng Zhao is shocking. "Why did you pardon him?" "I have no idea who he is. I was told that he was a victim ... They sent him to jail and they really set him up. That's my opinion. I was told about it."

NORAH O'DONNELL: Looked at this, the government at the time said that C.Z. had caused "significant harm to U.S. national security", essentially by allowing terrorist groups like Hamas to move millions of dollars around. Why did you pardon him? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Okay, are you ready? I don't know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt. And what I wanna do is see crypto, 'cause if we don't do it it's gonna go to China, it's gonna go to-- this is no different to me than AI. My sons are involved in crypto much more than I-- me. I-- I know very little about it, other than one thing. It's a huge industry. And if we're not gonna be the head of it, China, Japan, or someplace else is. So I am behind it 100%. This man was, in my opinion, from what I was told, this is, you know, a four-month sentence. But this man was treated really badly by the Biden administration. And he was given a jail term. He's highly respected. He's a very successful guy. They sent him to jail and they really set him up. That's my opinion. I was told about it. I said, "Eh, it may look bad if I do it. I have to do the right thing." I don't know the man at all. I don't think I ever met him. Maybe I did. Or, you know, somebody shook my hand or something. But I don't think I ever met him. I have no idea who he is. I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration.

"I know nothing about it because I'm too busy." He talks about how his sons are in the crypto industry, and how his son and wife published bestselling books. "I'm proud of them for doing that. I'm focused on this."

NORAH O'DONNELL: The government had accused him of "significant harm to U.S. national security"-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That's the Biden government. NORAH O'DONNELL: Okay. Allowing U.S. terrorist groups to, you know, essentially move millions of dollars around. He pled guilty to anti-money laundering laws. That was in 2023. Then in 2025 his crypto exchange, Binance, helped facilitate a $2 billion purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And then you pardoned C.Z. How do you address the appearance of pay for play? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, here's the thing, I know nothing about it because I'm too busy doing the other-- NORAH O'DONNELL: But he got a pardon-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I can only tell you that-- NORAH O'DONNELL: He got a pardon-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Norah, I can only tell you this. My sons are into it. I'm glad they are, because it's probably a great industry, crypto. I think it's good. You know, they're running a business, they're not in government. And they're good-- my one son is a number one bestseller now. My wife just had a number one bestseller. I'm proud of them for doing that. I'm focused on this. I know nothing about the guy, other than I hear he was a victim of weaponization by government. When you say the government, you're talking about the Biden government.

"[You're] not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this?"

"I'd rather not have you ask the question."

NORAH O'DONNELL: So not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I can't say, because-- I can't say-- I'm not concerned. I don't-- I'd rather not have you ask the question. But I let you ask it. You just came to me and you said, "Can I ask another question?" And I said, yeah. This is the question-- NORAH O'DONNELL: And you answered-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't mind. Did I let you do it? I coulda walked away. I didn't have to answer this question. I'm proud to answer the question. You know why? We've taken crypto-- NORAH O'DONNELL: But just generally speak-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. We're number one in crypto in the whole world. Other people wanna be. They're fighting like hell to be. But we're number one in crypto because I'm the president. Biden wanted to also, at the very end, you know, he totally switched his thing.