President Trump has agreed to ethics language in the CLARITY Act that would bar senior federal officials — including the president, vice president, and members of Congress — from issuing cryptocurrencies or digital assets while in office. The move gives enforcement authority to the Justice Department rather than state attorneys general, a decision that's already drawing pushback. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, a key negotiator, dismissed the proposal as 'unserious,' pointing to Trump's own memecoin holdings and income from World Liberty Financial.
The ethics language
Under the agreed-upon text, senior officials would be prohibited from launching or promoting digital assets during their tenure. Trump backed DOJ enforcement, sidelining state AGs. The decision is part of ongoing bipartisan talks, with an updated ethics draft expected within days.
Alsobrooks' pushback
Alsobrooks didn't mince words. She called the proposal 'unserious,' citing Trump's memecoin holdings and his income from World Liberty Financial as evidence that self-policing won't work. 'We need independent enforcement, not a promise to behave,' she said. The pushback highlights the tension between federal oversight and the president's personal crypto interests.
Bessent's call for federal rules
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in, stating that Congress must establish clear federal rules for digital assets to keep capital and innovation in the United States. His comments align with the broader push for a federal framework rather than a patchwork of state laws.
Market waits
Bitcoin is trading around $66,000, stuck in a range between support near the low $64,000s and resistance near the upper $66,000s. Funding rates are neutral, and directional conviction is muted. Institutional investors are holding off until clearer regulatory language emerges, viewing it as a potential catalyst for Bitcoin's next sustained move. Meanwhile, Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a Bitcoin Layer 2 integrating the Solana Virtual Machine, is in presale at $0.0136835 per token, with $32.9 million raised and staking already live.
Bipartisan talks continue, and an updated ethics text is expected within days.
