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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he didn't know about his family's cryptocurrency ventures that helped earn him more than $1.4 billion since returning to the White House.Trump, in a July 2 interview with CNBC, said he was unaware of the crypto investments before the release of his 2025 financial disclosure that showed the president brought in $2.2 billion in 2025, with the bulk coming from $1.4 billion through the crypto industry.That includes nearly $800 million from World Liberty Financial, a company his sons Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron Trump co-founded, and $635 million from the sale of his $TRUMP meme coins."By the way, I could know about it. I didn't. I mean, there's nothing illegal, there's nothing wrong with it. I could know," Trump said when asked whether he knew about the crypto ventuers.The massive earnings detailed in Trump's annual report to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics have ignited criticism from Trump's opponents who argue he's used the White House to make himself significantly richer."The way I view crypto is a little differently," Trump said. "We have to be at the top, otherwise China is going to take it over. Like, for instance, AI ‒ we're leading substantially in AI over China and everybody else."In all, Trump's income soared to more than $2.2 billion in 2025, according to his financial disclosure, with real estate assets and other holdings accounting for the rest of the windfall. Trump's business ventures pulled in about $622 million in 2024, according to the New York Times.Trump has taken an active role to boost the $TRUMP meme coin, a type of cryptocurrency. Months into his second term, Trump in May 2025 hosted 220 investors at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, who collectively pumped $148 million into the $TRUMP meme coin.Many of Trump's policies since taking office have benefited the crypto industry, including implementing federal rules for coins tied to assets like the U.S. dollar and dialing back how much the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission police the industry.Trump said his sons run his business, the Trump Organization, and others handle his investments. The president credited the success of the stock market for his fortunes."I'm a really good business person. I've made money. I've made a tremendous amount of money, more than I would have ever thought I would have made and I let people invest it," Trump said."I don't even know who they are," the president told CNBC host Joe Kernen. "But it's given to big firms, like that are on your show all the time. My son Eric handles it. I don't talk to him about things such as this. I think I'd be allowed to. I'm not sure even what the status is. But I don't. And he gives it into these, like, semi-blind trusts or blind trusts."Contributing: USA TODAY's Erin MansfieldReach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
