Speaking on stage at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks outlined how the Trump administration’s early moves are reshaping the federal government’s role in digital assets. In conversation with Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, Sacks emphasized that President Trump’s first 100 days have already delivered a wave of crypto-forward initiatives—including the pardon of Ross Ulbricht and the rollout of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
While the reserve currently relies on Bitcoin seized by the Treasury through criminal forfeiture, Sacks revealed that existing policy leaves the door open for further acquisitions—provided they’re financially neutral. He explained that federal departments like Commerce or Treasury could, under the executive order, initiate purchases of additional Bitcoin without creating new debt or raising taxes.
“If it can be done in a budget-neutral way—specifically, if either the Commerce Department or the Treasury Department can figure out how to fund it without adding to the debt—then they are allowed to create those programs,” Sacks said.
“So if we can convince Howard Lutnick, who’s Commerce Secretary, or Scott Besson, who’s the Treasury Secretary, to buy some, and they can figure out how to fund it—without a new tax or adding to the debt.”
Sacks Details Trump’s Fast-Track Crypto Agenda
David Sacks didn’t hold back while outlining the Trump administration’s aggressive rollout of pro-crypto reforms during his appearance at Bitcoin 2025. Reflecting on the administration’s opening weeks, Sacks highlighted a series of landmark decisions that have rapidly reshaped U.S. digital asset policy.
“President Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht on his first full day in office,” Sacks noted, framing it as a symbolic reset of the federal approach to crypto. That move was swiftly followed by an executive order aimed at asserting American leadership in digital assets. The order, signed during Trump’s first week, included a ban on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), a formal end to Operation Choke Point 2.0, and the creation of a presidential working group to advance crypto strategy.
Sacks went further, praising what he called the administration’s most impactful strike: cutting off funding to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an agency he described as the crypto sector’s most aggressive opponent. The move, widely seen as a direct blow to Senator Elizabeth Warren—one of the industry’s most vocal critics—was met with loud applause.
With pending legislation like the Stablecoin Bill, the Genius Act, and a comprehensive market structure framework expected before August, Sacks framed the moment as a turning point.
“The stablecoin bill and the Genius Act are about to pass, and a market structure bill likely will follow before August to enshrine new rules into law, ensuring a future Gary Gensler can’t unwind them,” he asserted.
Energy Access Key to AI and Bitcoin Growth
The discussion ended with a nod to infrastructure—specifically, the need for robust energy systems to power both Bitcoin mining and the booming AI sector. For Sacks, securing the backbone of these technologies is just as vital as setting policy.
“We need a lot more power to fuel the future of AI and crypto,” he said.
“I think the President definitely got us off on the right foot with ‘drill, baby, drill.’ He clearly wants to unleash oil and gas production in the U.S., and that’s a huge part of it.”
Looking ahead, Sacks struck an optimistic tone about what lies on the horizon for the crypto sector under current leadership. With just four months into the new administration, he emphasized that the foundational work is already paying off—both in policy momentum and investor confidence.
“We’re just getting started,” he said.
“So I think just what we can accomplish over the next few years is going to be really incredible.”
Quick Facts
- David Sacks confirms potential for direct federal Bitcoin purchases
- Expansion depends on budget-neutral pathways via Commerce or Treasury
- Trump’s early executive orders banned CBDCs and ended Operation Choke Point 2.0
- Ross Ulbricht was pardoned on Trump’s first full day in office
- Energy policy is key to powering crypto and AI industries
