Don Jr. Says He and Eric “Orange-Pilled” Trump After Family Was De-Banked
At Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, Donald Trump Jr. (Don Jr.) revealed that he and his brother Eric were instrumental in shifting their father’s stance on Bitcoin and blockchain after the Trump family experienced what he described as “brutal” financial de-platforming.
During a fireside chat with Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski, Don Jr. recounted how his journey into crypto wasn’t born from early adoption or tech fascination, but rather from being forced to confront the vulnerabilities of traditional finance. “We were real estate guys, we were hard assets, we built buildings — [bitcoin] was a bit nebulous,” he admitted. “But once we got into that political sector… we were getting de-banked, we were getting de-insured, we were getting de-everything.”
The Turning Point: Politics Meets Bitcoin
The fallout from Donald Trump’s first term in office, including legal pressures and financial blacklisting, pushed the Trump Organization to re-evaluate its exposure to centralized systems. Don Jr. said the brothers were the first in the family to take Bitcoin seriously, eventually convincing their father — who once called it a scam — to come around.
“We were the ones who were getting subpoenaed in nonsense lawsuits, we were the ones who are dealing with getting de-banked,” he said. “We probably, maybe got there a little bit before him. Once we started explaining the potential, he’s a quick study … he got there pretty quickly.”
Don Jr. Mocks Political Rivals Jumping on the Bitcoin Bandwagon
Now that Donald Trump has openly embraced Bitcoin on the campaign trail, Don Jr. said it’s amusing to watch political rivals try to catch up. “I would pay money, a lot of money, maybe my entire crypto wallet, to have Kamala Harris explain blockchain technology,” he joked, poking fun at the vice president’s speaking style.
Despite the humor, Don Jr. insisted that crypto is no longer just a fringe financial tool — it’s a political issue. He said his father’s motivation is rooted in what he believes is best for the country.
Regulatory Winds Shift
The Trump campaign’s pro-crypto stance comes amid growing scrutiny of the family’s blockchain ventures, including the controversial TRUMP meme coin and World Liberty Financial. Both have faced criticism over transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
Nonetheless, Don Jr. pointed to significant changes since Trump returned to office, highlighting a break from what he described as “regulation-by-enforcement” under the Biden administration. With stablecoin legislation reportedly imminent and broader crypto market reform on the table, Don Jr. believes the stars are aligning for a Bitcoin breakout.
“I think you have the perfect storm for this thing just going to the moon, as they say,” he concluded.
