U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that he would free Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht if elected in November. RFK Jr. criticized the severity of Ulbricht’s two life sentences for “hosting an e-commerce platform” and shared a petition advocating for Ulbricht’s release.
While former President Donald Trump has garnered attention from the crypto community by branding himself as “the crypto President,” RFK Jr. has also supported blockchain technology. In 2023, Kennedy proposed backing the U.S. dollar with Bitcoin and eliminating capital gains tax on Bitcoin to stabilize the global reserve currency.
Kennedy also revealed that he bought Bitcoin for each of his seven children to counter criticisms that he was promoting an asset he didn’t own. “I’m going to put my money where my mouth is,” he said during a Twitter Space session.
Kennedy opposes a central bank digital currency (CBDC), citing privacy concerns and the vulnerabilities of the traditional banking system. He also proposed placing the entire U.S. fiscal budget on the blockchain to enhance transparency and accountability—a bold stance not shared by any other U.S. politician.
Pardoning American dissidents has become a popular topic among 2024 presidential candidates, including Trump, RFK Jr., and former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race, promised to pardon Julian Assange, Ulbricht, and other non-violent prisoners on his first day in office. He is expected to be part of Trump’s future cabinet if Trump wins the 2024 election.
“If you vote for me, on Day 1, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served,” Trump announced during his Saturday night address at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C. “He’s already served 11 years, we’re gonna get him home.”
When asked about pardoning Assange, Trump responded that he was “very seriously” considering it. RFK Jr. has also committed to pardoning Assange, whistleblower Edward Snowden, and Ulbricht if elected.
Ulbricht has become a martyr for many in the crypto and libertarian communities, who view his harsh sentence as an overreach by the government and a violation of his constitutional rights. In 2018, the Libertarian Party urged then-President Trump to pardon Ulbricht.
