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Donald Trump reaffirms support for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, pledging to commute his life sentence if re-elected.
Key Notes
Trump promised to commute Ross Ulbricht’s life sentence if he wins the 2024 election.Many are skeptical about whether Trump’s support for Ulbricht is a genuine stance on justice or a strategic political move.Trump’s evolving support for cryptocurrency aligns with his recent appeal to digital asset enthusiasts and libertarian voters.Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has once again thrown his support behind the imprisoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who began his 12th year in prison on October 1.
Ulbricht was given two life sentences plus 40 more years in prison without parole for making and running the Silk Road, a secret online market mostly used for illegal deals with Bitcoin. His case has brought up many opinions because it involves big topics like internet freedom, privacy, government spying, and the use of cryptocurrency.
Here it is. The start of my 12th year in prison today.
I intend to make the most of it and use my time wisely.
— Ross Ulbricht (@RealRossU) October 1, 2024
Trump’s Pledge to Free Ulbricht: A Political Move or Genuine Support?
Trump took to his Truth Social page to maintain his stance that he will save Ulbricht. His declaration comes after Ulbricht wrote on his X account, which is managed by his family, that Tuesday marks the beginning of his 12th year in prison. In response to the post, Trump shared a screenshot of it on Truth Social, declaring:
“I WILL SAVE ROSS ULBRICHT!”
This is not the first time Trump has expressed support for Ulbricht. In May, during the Libertarian National Convention, the former president stated that he would commute Ulbricht’s life sentence on his first day in office if elected.
Trump’s promise generated a reaction from Ulbricht, who expressed gratitude on X, saying that after years in prison, he struggled to find the right words to express his feelings. He mentioned that Trump’s support could give him the chance to start a new chapter in his life.
Trump’s promise to save Ulbricht has triggered different opinions; while some see it as a step towards justice, others view it as a pro-crypto statement to win the support of cryptocurrency enthusiasts in his 2024 presidential bid.
Ulbricht’s Sentence Sparks Debate on Justice
Some notable figures have also suggested that Ulbricht’s sentence was too harsh. Tesla CEO Elon Musk once commented that the sentence was “a bit too high”. Venture capitalist Tim Draper has advocated for Ross’s release for many years, saying he has served enough time in prison.
Trump, who was once a critic of cryptocurrency, has made a U-turn and now fully supports digital assets. The Republican presidential candidate has made several promises to the crypto community, generating interest among many crypto users. He has previously promised to dismiss the current Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler once he enters office as president.
Thus, Trump’s latest vow to release Ross Ulbricht could appeal more to crypto users and even increase optimism among Ulbricht and his supporters.
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Temitope is a writer with more than four years of experience writing across various niches. He has a special interest in the fintech and blockchain spaces and enjoy writing articles in those areas. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in linguistics. When not writing, he trades forex and plays video games.
