Investing.com -- A few days after Donald Trump's presidential campaign announced it would start accepting crypto donations, the former President made his most explicit endorsement of cryptocurrency to date.
In a post on Truth Social shared shortly before his scheduled appearance at the Libertarian National Convention, the leading 2024 Republican candidate wrote: "I am very positive and open minded to cryptocurrency companies, and all things related to this new and burgeoning industry. Our country must be the leader in the field."
Trump asserted his support in his familiar capitalized letters. "There is no second place," he added, contrasting his stance with President Biden's, whom he accused of wanting the crypto industry to "die a slow and painful death."
The announcement highlights Trump's message that he's a crypto-friendly candidate and targets a core group of young male voters who are getting into digital assets. This came as Trump's defense team rested in his hush money case in New York.
Moreover, Trump's campaign has set up a fundraising page that lets eligible donors contribute to its political committees using any cryptocurrency supported by the Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) exchange, in an effort to create a "crypto army" in the run-up to Election Day.
Trump's latest comments indicate a major change from his earlier doubts about cryptocurrencies. In a 2021 interview with Fox Business, Trump stated, "The currency of this world should be the dollar. And I don't think we should have all of the Bitcoins of the world out there. I think they should regulate them very, very high."
However, Trump's views on crypto appear to have evolved, especially following the success of his Trump-branded NFT trading cards. These NFTs, including the "Mugshot Edition NFTs," offered holders unique perks such as the chance to dine with Trump after a trial date.
Trump's comments also come just before his speech at the Libertarian National Convention, where he needs to draw voters away from third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for his pro-crypto and anti-regulation views.