[NEW] Former President Trump calls Bitcoin a "new form of currency," completely changing his stance

On the 11th, former US President Donald Trump appeared on CNBC's talk show "Squawk Box" and mentioned Bitcoin (BTC) in the interview, saying, "It's a new form of currency." Trump, who has been critical of cryptocurrencies, has softened his stance.

Trump has been known to have consistently taken a negative stance on cryptocurrencies, such as saying that cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin "encourage fraud and other illegal activities." However, this interview shows that his thoughts on cryptocurrencies have shifted to a relatively positive direction.

Trump did not change his previous position, stating that "I believe that maintaining the US dollar's position as the world's reserve currency is a top priority," and continued, "The US dollar losing its status as a reserve currency would be a blow to the US economy. We cannot allow other countries to stop accepting the US dollar."

On the other hand, he said, "Bitcoin has been used a lot up until now, but I don't know if I want to take that up at this point," acknowledging that as the cryptocurrency market environment has matured, Bitcoin has also been used in various situations.

He then mentioned, "If you think about it, Bitcoin is a new form of currency," completely changing his previous position.

While softening his previous opinion, he stated his view that "I think one currency is desirable, and I want the dollar in particular, and I don't want people to move away from the dollar. The dollar is infused with life," emphasizing that the existence of the dollar is the top priority.

In February of this year, Trump sold limited edition sneakers that accepted cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. Referring to the payment at that time, he expressed surprise, saying, "So many people were paying with cryptocurrencies, and the amount was unbelievable."

Is he very conscious of the presidential election?

This is not the first time Trump has commented on Bitcoin. Previously, he had said on Fox News and at a town hall event prior to the Republican primary in South Carolina that "cryptocurrencies need to be regulated," and had previously shown a negative attitude toward Bitcoin.

However, incorporating crypto assets into his NFT collection and projects may have changed his thinking.

In addition, the fact that the US presidential election to be held in November this year has highlighted the support for candidates who are positive about cryptocurrency policies, especially among young people, may have influenced Trump's election strategy.

In a survey conducted last year by Grayscale, a major asset management company, more than 70% of respondents said that presidential candidates "should have knowledge of the latest technology, including crypto assets."

In addition, according to a survey by Coinbase, a US cryptocurrency exchange, four out of five cryptocurrency holders in California answered that they "support candidates who are positive about cryptocurrency policies."

In light of this situation, it is believed that Trump is also aiming to demonstrate his positive attitude toward crypto assets.

In addition, Trump has repeatedly made clear his denial of CBDC (central bank digital currency), saying that he "will never approve it."

Reference: CNBC Television
Image: Shutterstock

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