Trump defends reported $1.4B cryptocurrency earnings: ‘Nothing illegal or wrong’

President Donald Trump in a recent interview defended reported $1.4 billion crypto earnings from family ventures and business dealings.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen at the White House, Trump explained the precarious nature of the presidency that almost anything his children do could be considered a conflict.

Trump said, “I tell my kids, ‘stay away,’ But they also have a life. You know, they were doing business long before I ever thought of … running for president.”

According to the President, first, he did not know he and his family made over $1 billion from crypto and if they could there was “nothing wrong or illegal” with crypto ventures, citing federal laws that exempt the president and vice president from recusal requirements regarding their personal financial interests.

"I've made a tremendous amount of money... and I let people invest in it. I don't even speak to them — I don't even know who they are, but it's given to big firms. I'm the only President they say that's ever given up [their] salary,” he asserted.

When asked about how he sees the crypto, Trump answered that he views it quite differently, stating, “We have to be at the top, otherwise China's going to take it over... it's a big deal, and anything we do, I want to be number one in.”

Trump’s recent remarks came after the disclosure of his 2025 annual finances. The financial disclosure reveals over $580 million in earnings from cryptocurrency-related ventures.

This includes roughly $515 million from "World Liberty Financial" token sales and $65 million from equity sales in WLF’s holding company.