David Sacks Appointed as White House A.I. and Crypto Strategist Under Trump Administration
David Sacks, a venture capitalist and popular podcaster, has been named the "White House A.I. & Crypto Czar" by President-elect Donald Trump. The announcement was made on Thursday via Trump’s Truth Social account.
Sacks will spearhead the administration’s efforts to establish a robust policy framework for artificial intelligence (A.I.) and cryptocurrency. Among his key responsibilities will be crafting crypto regulations and leading a presidential council on science and technology.
“David’s role is to ensure America takes the lead in these critical areas,” Trump wrote, emphasizing a commitment to protecting free speech online and countering perceived censorship from Big Tech.
The move reflects Trump’s strategy of aligning with influential Silicon Valley figures who have shown support for his campaign. It also suggests a focus on policies that resonate with the cryptocurrency industry.
Earlier this year, Sacks hosted a high-profile fundraiser for Trump at his San Francisco mansion, with tickets starting at $50,000 and VIP packages going up to $300,000. This marked a notable shift for Sacks, who had previously criticized Trump following the Capitol riot in January 2021. At that time, he declared on his podcast, All-In, that Trump was "clearly" responsible for the events of Jan. 6 and should not run for office again.
By July, however, Sacks had fully embraced Trump’s platform, delivering remarks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
A prominent name in the tech world, Sacks is best known for selling Yammer to Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012. He is also part of the legendary “PayPal mafia,” a group of former PayPal executives that includes Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.
Recently, Sacks has gained popularity as a co-host of the All-In podcast alongside investors Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, and David Friedberg. Trump praised the podcast as the "top podcast in Tech," lauding Sacks and his co-hosts for tackling major political and economic issues.
This appointment underscores the Trump administration’s intention to prioritize technological innovation and digital economy policies while deepening ties with key figures in the tech and crypto sectors.