Trump crypto advisor Sacks earns $12M from companies seeking access

Trump named David Sacks White House AI & Crypto Czar on Dec. 5, 2024; Sacks began work Jan. 20, 2025.

Sacks and his wife hosted a sold-out fundraiser at their San Francisco mansion in Jun. 2024, raising $12 million with tickets from $50,000 to $300,000 per person.

The Trump administration granted Sacks a blanket ethics waiver allowing him to work on regulatory issues directly related to his financial holdings in 400+ tech companies.

Trump fired Office of Government Ethics Director David Huitema via two-sentence email on Feb. 10, 2025, just weeks after Huitema was confirmed by the Senate.

OGE directors normally serve five-year terms spanning multiple administrations to ensure nonpartisan oversight; Trump cut Huitema's term short.

Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general in his first month without explanation, removing key oversight positions.

Senator Elizabeth Warren launched an investigation into whether Sacks exceeded the 130-day limit for Special Government Employees by late Jul. 2025.

Trump family businesses received $47 million from foreign entities in 2024, including payments from Saudi Arabia, India, and Vietnam.

Ethics expert Kathleen Clark of Washington University called the Sacks waiver "sham ethics waivers" due to their sweeping nature.

Sacks claims he divested "hundreds of millions of dollars" in tech positions at personal cost, though he maintains 400+ investments through Craft Ventures.