The White House stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao underwent the standard legal review process before its approval.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the decision was handled with “utmost seriousness” and was reviewed by both the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s Office.
Leavitt’s comments followed Trump’s interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, during which he claimed to have “no idea” who Zhao is and dismissed criticism of the pardon as politically driven. “The president does not know him personally,” Leavitt clarified during the briefing.
“There’s a whole team of qualified lawyers who evaluate every single pardon request before it reaches the president, who makes the final decision.”
The pardon, announced last week, has generated controversy amidst reports suggesting Binance was involved in assisting the Trump family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, with the development of its stablecoin and the securing of a $2 billion investment deal.
Binance CEO Richard Teng has publicly denied these allegations.
Trump’s Pardon “Corrected a Wrong,” Says Leavitt
Leavitt defended the president’s decision, arguing that Zhao had been “over-prosecuted by a weaponized DOJ” under the Biden administration. She stated that the pardon was a means for Trump to “correct that wrong” and end what she described as “the Biden administration’s war on the cryptocurrency industry.”
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to failing to maintain an effective anti–money laundering program at Binance. He was sentenced to four months in prison, a term less than the three-year sentence sought by U.S. prosecutors. The sentencing judge at the time characterized the initial request as “too harsh.” Zhao began serving his sentence in April 2024.
His attorney, Teresa Goody Guillén, and other supporters contended that the sentence was excessive for a non-violent, first-time offender charged with a single compliance-related violation.
Cut Question From 60 Minutes Raises Eyebrows
A segment of Trump’s 60 Minutes interview that was not aired included a question from Norah O’Donnell regarding his concerns “about the appearance of corruption” in relation to Zhao’s pardon.
According to a transcript, Trump responded, “I’d rather not have you ask the question.” He further stated that the U.S. is “number one in crypto in the whole world” and that he did not want “China or anybody else to take it away.”
CBS later stated that the interview was “condensed for clarity.” Prior to the omitted exchange, Trump noted that his sons were more involved in cryptocurrency than he was. He also admitted to knowing very little about it, beyond its status as a huge industry.