Brian Armstrong, the CEO of America’s top crypto exchange Coinbase is reportedly set to privately meet with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss personnel appointments for his upcoming administration, according to a Monday report by the Wall Street Journal.
This marks the first meeting between Trump and Armstrong since the former president’s re-election on Nov. 6, signaling his evolving crypto stance.
Speaking at the annual Bitcoin Conference earlier in July, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed to establish a Bitcoin and crypto presidential advisory council focused on designing a “transparent regulatory guidance for the benefit of the entire industry” within 100 days of assuming office.
While Coinbase’s Armstrong didn’t seem to have donated directly to Trump’s campaign, he previously indicated during pre-election that his cryptocurrency exchange was prepared to work with a Trump regime. Armstrong has so far expressed support for potential Trump administration picks, endorsing SEC Commissioner Hester Pierce as the “best choice” to lead the commission.
Trump’s Vision For Crypto In The US
It’s worth mentioning that Trump has yet to publicly say whom he plans to appoint to potentially replace current SEC Chairman and crypto nemesis Gary Gensler, whom he vowed to fire “on day one.”
It’s unclear whether Armstrong will potentially be given a role in Trump’s government. Over the past week, Trump has filled several cabinet roles, including appointing Bitcoin-friendly former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Secretary of Health and Human Services and tapping Tesla CEO Elon Musk and crypto-friendly entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, cleverly abbreviated as D.O.G.E.
According to news reports, Ripple CEO Bradley Garlinghouse has also spoken with unnamed individuals close to Trump regarding personnel appointments. Additionally, Circle’s top executives have also held meetings with the President-elect’s transition team.
These moves by Trump show that he plans to keep the series of promises he made on the campaign trail, including making the United States the “crypto capital of the world” and involving key industry players in decision-making.