The US Congress is once again mired in controversy over David Sachs, whom President Donald Trump appointed as his top adviser on cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence. Several Democrats, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, wrote him a letter alleging he may have violated government employment regulations.
Sachs works in the White House with Trump as a so-called “special government employee.” This special status was created for experts so they could be temporarily assigned to government work without the complex procedures of a typical hiring process. Such an individual can combine government and business work, but only for a limited number of days per year. The law stipulates that such work cannot exceed 130.
According to Democrats’ calculations, Sachs has exceeded the limit. They write that if he worked every workday since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, then the 130th day would have fallen on July 25. Now, more than 170 workdays have passed.
The letter directly asks him how many days exactly he spent in government service and whether he violated the rules. The politicians write that exceeding 130 days disrupts the balance established by Congress.
They also note that Sachs continues to run his firm, Craft Ventures, and receives a salary from it while listed as Trump’s advisor. Democrats argue that this gives him advantages not enjoyed by ordinary officials.
This isn’t the first time Trump has used this status. Elon Musk appeared in a similar role earlier this year. The White House explained that it was a convenient way to quickly attract renowned specialists. However, the president’s opponents argue that this is turning into an opportunity for wealthy individuals to influence policy and profit.
During his tenure, Sachs played a key role in promoting the new stablecoin law. The document was adopted in the summer and was even signed at a special ceremony at the White House, where Sachs was present alongside Trump.
Bo Hines previously served as a similar adviser, but he left to join Tether. He was replaced by Patrick Witt, who says Sachs still effectively leads the crypto agenda.
Trump Earns More from New Crypto Than His Real Estate Empire
Donald Trump’s family unexpectedly made more money on cryptocurrency than on their long-standing real estate empire.
On September 1, trading began on WLFI, a token launched by World Liberty Financial, a company owned by Trump and his sons. Despite the fact that the WLFI’s value plummeted by more than a third on the first day, the family’s fortune grew by more than $5 billion. This amount exceeded the combined value of Trump’s real estate holdings.
