one year on
Trump names David Sacks as White House AI and crypto czar
The president-elect taps the venture capitalist and All-In podcast host for a newly created role that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries and push crypto deregulation.
President-elect Donald Trump announced tonight that he is appointing venture capitalist David Sacks as the White House AI and crypto czar, a newly created position that will guide policy for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. Trump, writing on Truth Social, said Sacks will ‘focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas.’ Sacks, a co-host of the All-In podcast and former COO of PayPal, will also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology.
The appointment crystallises the incoming administration’s posture on AI: accelerationist, deregulatory, and friendlier to industry. Sacks, a prominent Silicon Valley fundraiser for Trump who hosted a June event at his San Francisco home, brings deep ties to the tech donor class. The czar role does not require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose assets; as a special government employee, he can serve up to 130 days per year and must recuse himself from matters affecting his holdings.
Sacks will work alongside Elon Musk, another Trump ally whose xAI and Grok chatbot compete with incumbents.
The record
One commenter wrote, 'Another Musk pal.'
One year later — open only if you can handle spoilers
Sacks served as czar through early 2026 but exerted limited influence as agency heads pursued independent AI policies. The Biden executive order was rescinded in January 2025, as predicted, though Congress never passed the broad legal framework Sacks advocated. His legacy was overshadowed by Musk's competing AI initiatives.