Donald Trump Jr. issued a defiant defense of his family’s digital asset ventures on Wednesday, Feb. 18, characterizing their pivot to cryptocurrency as a survival tactic against a “Ponzi scheme” banking system that had systematically deplatformed them. Speaking at a World Liberty Financial (WLF) event, the son of the U.S. President framed the family’s sprawling crypto empire as a crusade to modernize global finance and provide a sanctuary for those “canceled” by traditional institutions.
“We didn’t get into crypto because we were on the leading edge. We got into it out of necessity,” Trump told CNBC. “They [the banks] basically forced us into it. We were the most canceled people in the world in 2020 and 2021.”
Trump’s remarks come as the family’s digital asset dealings face an intensifying scrutiny and corruption allegations. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim recently urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to launch a formal inquiry into a $500 million investment in Trump Family-affiliated World Liberty Financial by a United Arab Emirates-backed entity.
Simultaneously, Warren and Rep. Maxine Waters have petitioned the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the family’s holdings following reports that the Trumps generated more than $1 billion from crypto ventures in 2025 alone. Critics contend these profits represent a direct monetization of the presidency.
However, Eric Trump dismissed these claims, arguing the family’s interest in decentralized finance ( DeFi) predates his father’s return to the White House. He emphasized that the primary mission of their infrastructure is to ensure that no individual or business can be arbitrarily disconnected from the financial grid.
Donald Trump Jr., meanwhile, provided a historical perspective on the family’s transition. He acknowledged that decades of traditional banking connections allowed the Trumps to build their initial real estate empire, but claimed those same systems are fundamentally flawed.
“We realized we were sort of at the top of the Ponzi scheme that was banking,” Trump Jr. said.
He argued that the alternative financial ecosystem being pioneered by World Liberty Financial “democratizes” the ability to transact, secure business loans, and access capital—opportunities he claims are increasingly gatekept by legacy banks. “It allows for finance that makes sense, in a way that simply didn’t exist before,” he concluded.
- Why did the Trumps enter crypto? Donald Trump Jr. says banks “canceled” them, forcing a pivot.
- What is World Liberty Financial’s role? It anchors the family’s push into Decentralized Finance ( DeFi) and tokenized finance.
- Why are regulators investigating? U.S. lawmakers cite $500 million UAE funding and $1 billion profits in 2025.
- How do the Trumps defend their ventures? Eric Trump claims their DeFi mission predates the presidency.
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