In a historic move, Donald Trump became the first US president to accept bitcoin Lightning Network payments for campaign donations. The announcement marks a significant step in the integration of bitcoin into mainstream politics, highlighting Trump's commitment to promoting the future of bitcoin in the United States.
The Trump campaign has partnered with Open node, a leading bitcoin and Lightning Network infrastructure provider, to facilitate these donations. Supporters can now contribute to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign using bitcoin through the Lightning Network, a technology designed to enable fast, low-cost transactions.
“OpenNode is proud to partner with Anedot to bring bitcoin into the political donation process,” OpenNode told bitcoin Magazine. “This is a perfect marriage between OpenNode's leading bitcoin technology and Anedot's robust platform for political and nonprofit organizations. The Trump campaign's adoption of our solution is powerful evidence of how political campaigns and nonprofits across the country can seamlessly accept bitcoin donations.”
Last weekend, while speaking at a Libertarian Party convention, Trump x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1794537413907214356″>emphasized
Trump's support for bitcoin extends beyond campaign donations. During the same speech, President Trump made a historic commitment to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road and an early bitcoin pioneer, to the sentence served if he were elected president.
“He's already turned 11,” he said. x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1794535395176366260″>saying. “Let's take him home.”
Being the first president in US history to accept bitcoin for campaign donations underscores Trump's broader strategy to appeal to the more than 50 million cryptocurrency enthusiasts and investors in the country. By aligning himself with the bitcoin community, the leading presidential candidate has further positioned himself as a forward-thinking leader who embraces technological advancements and financial freedom.
Just yesterday, the current president of the United States, Joe Biden x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1796676018284953832″>banned pro-bitcoin legislation that would have been a huge win for bitcoin, further showing its reluctance to support the industry. The bill vetoed by Biden would have allowed highly regulated financial companies to custody bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
To learn more about Trump's bitcoin campaign donations, visit his website here.