SBF praises Trump, backs Iran strikes amid pardon speculation

Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year sentence for fraud, has renewed public praise of U.S. President Donald Trump by backing strikes against Iran in a post on X written through a proxy using prison-approved communications. He framed the move as necessary to counter nuclear risk and said the operation had sharply reduced Iran’s military capacity.

The comments follow earlier posts in which he pointed to lower gas prices under Trump than in the Biden era and in other countries, and credited Trump with “saving” the SEC by replacing former chair Gary Gensler with Paul Atkins, arguing the shift eased pressure on crypto firms and reduced inter-agency conflict.

The tone has fueled speculation that he hopes to secure a presidential pardon; pardons have historically extended to financial crimes, and Trump has shown a willingness to grant clemency in high-profile cases. Ross Ulbricht, who operated the Silk Road, was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 before Trump freed him shortly after being sworn in in 2025.

United States

sam bankman-fried, donald trump, pardon, iran strikes, prison post, paul atkins, gary gensler, sec, crypto firms, ross ulbricht