Donald Trump denies knowing about $1.4B crypto windfall

President Donald Trump has denied knowing about the at least $1.4 billion in crypto income disclosed in his latest financial filing, while defending both his personal gains and his family’s involvement in the digital asset industry.

According to a CNBC interview, Trump said he was unaware of the amount of money generated from his crypto ventures, adding that he could know if he wanted to and insisting there was nothing illegal about such earnings. His comments came after the release of his 2025 financial disclosure, which has renewed scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest tied to his family’s crypto businesses.

The financial disclosure, released earlier this week, showed that Trump earned at least $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency-related activities during the reporting period. The filing attributed most of the income to licensing agreements connected to the Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin and token sales conducted by Trump-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI).

Earlier, as reported by crypto.news, Trump responded to questions about the disclosure by pointing to gains from the stock market rally but did not address the crypto-related income. His latest remarks are the first direct comments on the digital asset earnings disclosed in the filing.

Financial disclosure renews scrutiny of Trump’s crypto interests

The disclosure has again drawn attention to the Trump family’s expanding presence in the cryptocurrency sector. Critics have previously argued that the family’s business interests could create conflicts while Trump serves as president, particularly as his administration continues to shape U.S. digital asset policy.

Separate criticism has also focused on the launch of the TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins, with opponents alleging the projects extracted liquidity from retail investors. Meanwhile, WLFI, the native token of World Liberty Financial, was also introduced last year. All three tokens remain well below their respective all-time highs following strong declines after launch.

Despite the criticism, Trump maintained in the CNBC interview that there was nothing improper about benefiting from crypto investments. He did not indicate that he planned to distance himself or his family from their digital asset ventures.

Trump continues to push for U.S. crypto leadership

Alongside his comments on the disclosure, Trump repeated his view that the U.S. must remain the global leader in cryptocurrency development. During the interview, he argued that failing to take the lead could allow countries such as China or Japan to dominate what he described as a very large industry.

The president has repeatedly linked that position to his administration’s plan to make the United States the global center for digital assets. As part of that effort, he has urged lawmakers to approve the CLARITY Act, legislation designed to establish a clearer regulatory framework for the crypto industry.

Even so, the bill faces growing political uncertainty. According to prediction market platform Polymarket, traders currently assign a 41% probability that Trump will sign the CLARITY Act into law before the end of the year.

Ethics concerns surrounding Trump’s financial interests in cryptocurrency remain one of the main obstacles cited by Democratic lawmakers. With the Senate expected to begin its August recess in the coming weeks, the legislation now faces a narrowing window to advance through Congress before lawmakers leave Washington.