Trump's Crypto Pardon: What Was Left Out?

President Donald Trump recently pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance. This decision came under scrutiny, especially since Binance has been linked to the Trump family's crypto ventures. During a recent appearance on CBS News's 60 Minutes, Trump was questioned about this pardon. However, not all of his responses made it to the final broadcast. There are three versions of the interview available to the public: the 28-minute TV version, a longer 1-hour and 13-minute YouTube version, and a transcript published online. The differences between these versions are notable. The transcript includes a part where Trump is asked about the ethics of his family profiting from crypto and his pardon of Zhao. This segment is missing from both video versions. Trump's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, launched a company called World Liberty Financial in 2024. Their crypto coin, $WLFI, gained traction after Trump's election victory. By March 2025, a state-backed company from the UAE invested $2 billion in Binance using World Liberty's stablecoin. This investment raised eyebrows due to the potential conflicts of interest and the ethical implications of foreign entanglements. Zhao had pleaded guilty to money laundering violations in 2023 and served a four-month sentence. His pardon by Trump likely means he won't have to pay the $50 million in restitution he owed. During the interview, Trump claimed he didn't know who Zhao was and dismissed the pardon as a result of a "Biden witch hunt. " The transcript reveals that Trump was asked about the appearance of corruption with his pardon and financial interest in crypto. His response was edited out of the final video. In the transcript, Trump admitted he didn't want to answer the question but claimed he was proud to do so. He also bragged about the U. S. being number one in crypto under his presidency. The omission of this segment raises questions about editorial decisions and potential biases. Trump has a history of accusing media outlets of bias and has even settled a lawsuit with CBS News for $16 million. The settlement was seen as a move to facilitate a merger between CBS's parent company, Paramount, and Skydance. Trump's influence over the media continues to be a topic of debate. His actions, such as pardoning individuals like Zhao and stifling dissenting voices, have drawn criticism. Despite this, his supporters in Congress seem to back his decisions.