Former U.S. President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, told Fox News on Tuesday that he could “live with” people wanting to use bitcoin (BTC), but there would likely need to be some regulations. The comments seemed to indicate that the candidate is softening his stance on cryptocurrencies.
“I always liked one currency. I call it a currency. I like the dollar, but a lot of people are doing it [bitcoin] and frankly, it’s taken on a life of its own,” Trump said. “You probably have to do some regulation, as you know, but many people are embracing it. And more and more, I’m seeing people wanting to pay [with] bitcoin, and you’re seeing something that’s interesting. So I can live with it one way or the other.”
Central Bank Digital Currencies: ‘Never’
The comments came during a Fox News town hall event in South Carolina ahead of the state’s primary on Feb. 24. Trump had been asked by Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham if the U.S. needs to embrace bitcoin.
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The stance seemed a slight softening from July 2019, when then-President Trump tweeted that he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrencies, which he said were “not money.” However, Trump still isn’t all-in on digital assets. During a speech in New Hampshire last month, the candidate said he would “never allow” a central bank digital currency (CBDC) because it would give the federal government excessive control over money.
Trump has openly embraced non-fungible tokens (NFTs), digital assets that use blockchain technology to prove their uniqueness. Trump has unveiled three NFT collections, including a “Mugshot Edition” launched in December, which referenced the infamous photo taken during Trump’s arraignment in Atlanta on racketeering and other charges.
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