Changpeng Zhao Seeks Presidential Pardon in the U.S., Commends Trump’s ‘Business-Oriented’ Leadership Approach

Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, has announced that his legal representatives have formally requested a presidential pardon from the U.S. government.

In a podcast discussion on May 5 with Farokh Sarmad from Rug Radio, Zhao revealed that the choice to pursue clemency was influenced by rising media speculation regarding his intentions.

He explained, “I have lawyers working on this, and we decided to proceed after the Bloomberg and WSJ articles were published. It seemed necessary to make an official request given the media attention.”

These remarks represent the first time Zhao has publicly acknowledged the application for a pardon, which has attracted considerable interest recently.

Several reports have suggested that Zhao’s request for clemency may be connected to an alleged financial arrangement with the family of Donald Trump and Binance.US.

Additionally, speculation has arisen that he may be willing to cooperate against other notable figures in the crypto industry, such as Tron’s Justin Sun, as part of a plea bargain.

Zhao has refuted these claims, labeling them as politically driven and baseless.

In the podcast, he reiterated his stance and criticized traditional media for their focus on prominent individuals with biased reporting.

He remarked, “From my viewpoint, traditional media tends to choose their target and relentlessly pursue them. They select figures like Elon, Donald Trump, and myself, creating a consistently negative narrative. Once you are chosen, the articles reflect that negativity.”

In the same interview, Zhao offered his insights on President Trump’s approach to leadership, particularly in trade discussions.

He commended Trump for treating international relations similarly to business deals rather than following conventional political strategies.

According to the Binance founder, “It’s not the usual geopolitical negotiation style. It resembles a typical business negotiation where you start high, lower the offer, and keep adjusting until you find common ground, which is common practice in business.”

Zhao characterized Trump as a “deals guy” who grasps the concepts of leverage and strategic negotiation. He noted that while such tactics could potentially unsettle industries and economies, they tend to be more direct and transparent compared to traditional political approaches.