Donald Trump might not have dementia, but he seems to be practicing selective remembering. The President claimed that he did not know cryptocurrency multi-billionaire Changpeng Zhao, whom he had pardoned a month ago. The statement has drawn criticism, with many accusing the 79-year-old of feigning ignorance.
Trump was put on the hot seat during his 60 Minutes interview with CBS. He was asked about the ICE raids, government shutdown, and immigration crackdown during the interview.
The President, who always seems to zap media reporters with a strong answer whenever presented with a confrontational question, didn’t have much to say when asked about CZ. Zhao, also known as CZ, was the chief executive of Binance.
CZ was forced to resign from his position after he pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering. During the interview, Trump was asked why he took the decision of pardoning Zhao even though his actions caused “significant harm to US national security.”
“Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is,” the president simply said. He then emphasized how little he knows about the individual by adding that he had “no idea who he is.” In true Trump fashion, he also called out the previous administration.
The 79-year-old claimed that Zhao was a victim of a “witch hunt,” thanks to the Biden administration. Interestingly, the multi-billionaire is linked with projects that the Trump group is involved in. Dominari Holdings is one such project, which is based straight out of the Trump Tower.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is another member of the Trump conversation that came out to wash Zhao of all his alleged crimes. She claimed that the scandal was a “war on cryptocurrency” declared by Biden.
“I don’t know who he is,” says President Trump, claiming he doesn’t know Changpeng Zhao (aka C.Z.) a man he pardoned.
C.Z. is a billionaire who pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money laundering laws. The government said at the time that he allowed terrorist groups to… pic.twitter.com/Qpv9C2hw91
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025
“This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration,” Leavitt added. She also noted that the decision had been taken after the case was “thoroughly reviewed.”
The 28-year-old also claimed that Trump pardoning CZ would be a way to rectify the “misjustice” carried out by the previous administration. “He exercised his constitutional authority to do so,” she noted when the public started raising questions about the pardon.
After Trump took office, Zhao’s company, Binance, joined hands with the President’s family’s cryptocurrency venture. The World Liberty Financial stablecoin went from being valued at $127 million to over $2.1 billion after Biance came into the picture, according to a report from CNBC.
The pardoning wasn’t the only controversial decision that the President blamed on the Democrats. Norah O’Donnell asked him if the ICE raids had “gone too far,” noting how more and more videos of ICE agents brutally dealing with civilians are making the rounds every day.
Trump was quick to note how he doesn’t agree with the opinion at all. He added that the raids hadn’t gone “far enough.” The 79-year-old noted how “liberal judges” who were appointed by Obama and Biden were stopping him from taking an even aggressive approach.
