Trump Denies Knowing Binance Founder Despite Controversial Pardon

President Donald Trump issued a controversial pardon in October 2025 to Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, erasing his conviction for anti-money laundering violations. Despite the pardon, Trump repeatedly claimed in multiple interviews that he does not know CZ personally and described the prosecution as a politically motivated "Biden witch hunt." The pardon sparked political backlash amid reports of a $2 billion stablecoin partnership between Binance and Trump-linked World Liberty Financial, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest tied to the Trump family's crypto ventures. Trump dismissed these allegations, emphasizing his focus on promoting the cryptocurrency industry in the U.S. and insisting his sons' crypto businesses are separate from government roles. Critics, including Democratic senators, called for federal probes into the pardon, citing possible pay-for-play dynamics, while White House officials framed the pardon as a correction of overzealous prosecution under the Biden administration.