Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, currently serving a 25-year sentence for fraud, has renewed public praise for US President Donald Trump, adding to speculation that he hopes to win a pardon.
In a recent post on He considered the measure necessary to counter the nuclear risk and stated that the operation had drastically reduced Iran’s military capacity.
The comments mark the latest in a series of statements of support for the US president. In previous posts, he noted that gas prices are lower under the Trump administration than in the Biden era and in other countries. He also credited Trump for “saving” the SEC by replacing former Chairman Gary Gensler with Paul Atkins, arguing that the change eased pressure on crypto companies and reduced interagency conflict.
The tone has attracted attention, given Bankman-Fried’s legal situation. Presidential pardons have historically extended to financial crimes, and Trump has shown a willingness to grant clemency in high-profile cases. Ross Ulbricht, who operated a black market digital platform called Silk Road, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015 before Trump released him shortly after being sworn in in 2025. For Bankman-Fried, whose conviction arose from one of the largest financial collapses in cryptocurrency history, public alignment with the president may have a clear purpose.
Their rapprochement comes as the remains of their former empire continue to disintegrate. Earlier this week, the FTX Recovery Trust said it will distribute about $2.2 billion to creditors as part of an ongoing Chapter 11 process, bringing recovery rates closer to full reimbursement for many classes of claims.
Still, the damage from the FTX collapse runs deep. Millions of clients lost access to funds in 2022 and the event shook confidence in the crypto markets. Prices fell, companies went bankrupt, and regulators stepped in with stricter scrutiny. The case remains a benchmark for risk in the industry.
Bankman-Fried’s praise for Trump’s Iran policy comes as that decision faces growing criticism, with some warning that the conflict could strain public finances and disrupt global oil supplies, as well as concerns about inflation and higher costs for households and businesses.
For now, Bankman-Fried remains behind bars, communicating through intermediaries while her former company pays off creditors. His lawyers filed a motion for a new trial in February, which the government opposed. However, his public messages suggest that he is trying to achieve an outcome beyond the courts.
