The Republican National Committee (RNC) in the United States has passed a draft of a policy platform that includes advocating for cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin (BTC) mining.
According to a July 8 update to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s campaign website, the RNC draft included a shift in the official party’s policy, naming crypto as one of the ways Republicans intend to “champion innovation” in the U.S. economy. The platform claimed that Democrats had engaged in an “unlawful” crackdown on crypto and vowed to “oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency,” or CBDC.
“We will defend the right to mine Bitcoin, and ensure every American has the right to self-custody of their Digital Assets, and transact free from Government Surveillance and Control,” said the updated platform.
The changes to the party platform came before the RNC’s national convention, which starts on July 15. Many expect Trump to receive the official nomination for U.S. president. The GOP frontrunner had initially been scheduled to be sentenced on July 11 following his conviction on 34 felony counts in New York. The hearing was moved to September following a Supreme Court opinion on presidential immunity.
It’s unclear why the RNC included a section on cryptocurrencies echoing many of Trump’s views. While U.S. President and before his reelection announcement, Trump said Bitcoin seemed “like a scam,” and that cryptocurrencies were “potentially a disaster waiting to happen.” However, in 2024, his campaign has shifted to accepting crypto contributions, and the Republican candidate has advocated for “all the remaining Bitcoin” to be mined in the country.
Trump’s daughter Lara has co-chaired the RNC since March, suggesting some influence over the change in the party’s platform. Cointelegraph contacted the RNC for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Related: Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump are crypto champions
U.S. President Joe Biden met Trump face-to-face in a June 27 CNN debate that did not include a discussion of digital assets. President Biden’s performance — which included him speaking with a weaker voice than usual, stumbling through a few answers and coughing — has prompted some to call for him to step aside for another Democratic candidate. As of July 8, Biden said he intended to be the party nominee.
The Democratic National Committee will likely decide on an official nominee before Aug. 7 — the deadline for parties to apply and appear on the ballot in Ohio. The party’s convention is scheduled for Aug. 19, roughly 78 days before U.S. Election Day on Nov. 5.
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