Donald Trump Denies Knowledge of World Liberty Financial Amid $500M UAE Investment Scrutiny

Summary

• President Donald Trump denied knowledge of World Liberty Financial’s operations, maintaining that his sons independently manage the cryptocurrency business.
• UAE investors reportedly acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million, raising questions about foreign ownership.
• Justin Sun’s legal dispute adds pressure as Public Citizen estimates WLFI investors face at least $1 billion in unrealized losses.

U.S. President Donald Trump denied involvement in World Liberty Financial’s operations when questioned about foreign investments and potential conflicts of interest. During a CBS News 60 Minutes interview, Trump maintained that his sons manage the cryptocurrency company despite his stake.

According to CBS, correspondent Ross Douthat questioned potential conflicts involving foreign investors, prompting Trump to deny knowledge of the business while defending his sons’ management. Douthat also questioned Trump’s decision to retain his ownership stake rather than transfer it, prompting the president to challenge how someone could divest from cash.

World Liberty launched in September 2024, naming Trump Chief Crypto Advocate and his sons to company roles. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump became Web3 Ambassadors, while Barron Trump received the title Chief DeFi Visionary.

UAE Investment Raises Questions About World Liberty Ownership

The interview follows reports describing substantial investments connected to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, a UAE official. An August Wall Street Journal report identified a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings held by UAE investors.

An earlier report described a separate $500 million investment for a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial. That transaction reportedly occurred shortly before Trump’s inauguration, raising ownership questions. A related entity also received preliminary approval for a national trust bank charter from the OCC.

Justin Sun Dispute Adds Pressure as Investors Face Losses

Separately, Tron founder Justin Sun has pursued legal action against World Liberty over allegedly frozen WLFI tokens. Sun claims to have invested $45 million and has sought sanctions over alleged UAE ownership disclosures.

World Liberty disputes Sun’s allegations and considers the lawsuit meritless, while Public Citizen estimated in August that investors across Trump-linked cryptocurrency ventures faced at least $4.7 billion in unrealized losses.

Of that amount, Public Citizen attributed at least $1 billion to WLFI, representing paper losses rather than realized losses because investors may not have sold their holdings at those valuations.

Trump’s comments distinguish his claimed lack of operational knowledge from his ownership interest, while the company’s investment arrangements remain disputed.