Donald Trump has once again expressed support for Ross Ulbricht, the imprisoned founder of the Silk Road, an illegal online marketplace.
Trump took to Truth Social to vow that he would “save” Ulbricht.
Trump Vows to Free Ulbricht if Re-elected
The former president shared a screenshot of Ulbricht’s recent post marking the start of another year in prison, “Here it is. The start of my 12th year in prison today. I intend to make the most of it and use my time wisely,” Ulbricht said. In his post, Trump responded, “I WILL SAVE ROSS ULBRICHT!”
The 39-year-old, arrested in 2013 on charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking, was the creator of Silk Road. The dark web platform enabled the anonymous sale of illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD using Bitcoin (BTC), processing over $1 billion in transactions before being shut down shortly after his arrest.
In 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years without the possibility of parole. Since then, authorities have seized over $1 billion in Bitcoin from Silk Road’s treasury, along with additional amounts confiscated from individuals connected to the marketplace and other criminal activities over the years.
This is not the first time Trump has shown support for the founder. At the Libertarian National Convention in May 2024, he promised to “commute” his life sentence “on day one” of his presidency if re-elected, drawing cheers from the crowd with many waving “Free Ross” signs. Following this declaration, Ulbricht responded on X, saying, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you… After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment.”
Trump’s support for the platform’s founder aligns with his growing pro-crypto stance. In the same speech, he also criticized Senator Warren, vowing to “keep Elizabeth Warren and her goons away from your Bitcoin.”
Government Overreach
Trump’s promise to free Ross Ulbricht has renewed debates about the fairness of his sentence, especially given Silk Road’s pivotal role in popularizing Bitcoin. The platform brought Bitcoin into the mainstream, showcasing its use for decentralized payments but also damaging its reputation by associating it with criminal activity.
Ulbricht’s case continues to divide the crypto community. Many libertarians and crypto advocates argue that his sentence was excessively harsh and represents an attack on decentralized finance and privacy principles. They view his punishment as an example of government overreach aimed at stifling innovation in decentralized technologies.
However, others point to the massive illegal drug trade that occurred on the darknet website and argue that the sentence was appropriate considering the harm caused.