The White House has confirmed that the pardon for Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, was given serious consideration following a thorough review process by White House officials prior to President Donald Trump’s approval.

In an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Trump mentioned that he had no previous knowledge of Zhao and criticized the backlash against the pardon as politically motivated. He emphasized that his statement didn’t indicate any personal relationship with Zhao.

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated, “The pardon was thoroughly evaluated, receiving utmost seriousness from both the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s office.”

A comprehensive team of qualified legal experts reviews each pardon request, ensuring that only fully vetted cases reach the president, who holds the ultimate decision-making power.

Trump further insisted that he is correcting an injustice, referring to what he labeled as a weaponized DOJ against Zhao, who has faced severe penalties, having pleaded guilty to compliance failures at Binance that led to a prolonged ordeal.

Importantly, in a part of his CBS interview omitted from the broadcast, Norah O’Donnell challenged the president on potential appearances of corruption regarding Zhao’s pardon. Trump responded obliquely, reaffirming the United States’ leading position in the crypto space.

For more details, visit CBS News.