Trump names former PayPal executive David Sacks as “White House AI & Crypto Czar”

Trump names former PayPal executive David Sacks as “White House AI & Crypto Czar”

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed a “White House AI and Crypto Czar” as he continues to fill out his Cabinet ahead of Inauguration Day.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had chosen David Sacks to take on the role of leading the Presidential Council of Advisers on Science and Technology.

Trump says that in this role, Sacks will lead policy on “governance in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency,” two areas he says are critical to “the future of American competitiveness.”

David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas. It will protect free speech online and keep us away from the bias and censorship of Big Tech. “He will work on a legal framework so that the crypto industry receives the clarity it demands and can thrive in the United States,” the president-elect wrote.

An investor and entrepreneur, Sacks was once COO of PayPal before founding the software company Yammer, which was acquired by Microsoft for over $1 billion.

“David is co-host of the All-In Podcast, the top podcast in tech where he and his friends discuss economic, political and social issues,” Trump wrote. “David has the knowledge, business experience, intelligence and pragmatism to make AMERICA great in these two critical technologies.”

According to an investor who hosted an event at Trump’s club in Florida, Sacks visited Mar-a-Lago early Thursday, the Associated Press reports. Sacks was instrumental in introducing Vice President-elect J.D. Vance to donors and helping him prove he could raise money. He also hosted a fundraiser for Trump and Vance at his home in San Francisco.

READ MORE: An overview of Trump’s new Cabinet members

On Wednesday, Trump chose Paul Atkins, a cryptocurrency proponent, as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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