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Has Trump scrubbed XRP from the crypto reserve?

A Ripple-hired lobbyist would be responsible for the notable post by former President Donald Trump on Truth Social, in which he named XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) as part of a.

By Mike Hesp
• 2 min read
Has Trump scrubbed XRP from the crypto reserve?

A lobbyist hired by Ripple would be responsible for the notable post by former President Donald Trump on Truth Social, in which he pointed to XRP, Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) as part of a strategic crypto reserve. That reports Politico based on anonymous sources.

According to the report, an aide from Ballard Partners (the lobbying firm led by Brian Ballard) forwarded a message to Trump asking him to post it on Truth Social on March 2. A source says: “He brushed her off at first, but she kept pushing. Eventually he gave the message to an aide, who posted it.”

Only after publication did Trump realize that Ripple Labs, the company behind XRP, was a client of Ballard Partners. According to the report, Trump was furious and felt exploited.

In the original post, Trump stated that the United States was taking steps to build a national crypto reserve. He specifically named XRP, Solana, and Cardano, which led to price increases of 20 to 70 percent for the mentioned coins. Bitcoin and Ethereum were notably not named. Shortly after, Trump posted a second message to correct his earlier statements: “I also love Bitcoin and Ethereum!”

The original post also caused confusion within the White House. David Sacks, known as the “crypto czar” of the administration, is said to have reacted angrily. According to Politico, Trump’s post gave the impression he was pushing certain projects just before a planned crypto summit.

Ultimately, XRP, Solana, and Cardano were not included in the official plans for a “US Digital Asset Stockpile.” Whether that was a deliberate correction remains unclear. What is clear: lobbyist Brian Ballard is according to Politico “no longer welcome in the White House.”

The whole incident raises questions about Trump’s knowledge of the crypto sector and his motives. The events suggest the former president is susceptible to influence, and that lobbying by individual projects can sometimes weigh more than users’ actual needs.

Crypto-journalist Laura Shin View post on X sums it up on X: “Totally nuts, a lobbying firm with Ripple as a client got Trump to post that XRP/SOL/ADA reserve post.”

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