President-elect Donald Trump late Thursday announced that podcaster and tech investor David O. Sacks will be his new White House AI and Crypto czar, a newly-created position.
In a statement, Mr. Trump said Mr. Sacks would coordinate policy for the administration on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies, calling the post an “important position.”
“He will safeguard Free speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship. He will work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for and can thrive in the U.S.,” Mr. Trump said of his new appointee.
Mr. Sacks will also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, Mr. Trump said.
Since it is a new position, it is unclear how it will fit in with the government or what authority Mr. Sacks will have to implement changes.
The new position is expected to spearhead crypto industry regulation, which Mr. Trump had promised on the campaign trail. It will likely give digital currency advocates a direct line to the White House with Mr. Sacks acting as a liaison.
Mr. Sacks is a podcaster and was co-founder of PayPal, where he worked with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, two tech entrepreneurs with close ties to the president-elect. He also invested in their companies SpaceX and Palantir.
During the campaign, Mr. Sacks was a prominent Trump backer and fundraiser. He played a key role in bolstering Mr. Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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