Ripple Executives Dine with President-Elect Trump: Implications for the Crypto World
On January 7, 2025, Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, and Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, were seen dining with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The encounter quickly became a hot topic after Garlinghouse and Alderoty shared a photo with Trump on social media platform X, causing a viral stir.
The Conversations Behind Closed Doors
In a tweet, Garlinghouse expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Great dinner last night with Donald Trump & Stuart Alderoty. Strong start to 2025!” Alderoty added his own touch, noting the delightful beef bourguignon. Despite these light-hearted remarks, the pair did not divulge specific details about their discussions. This lack of information has left the crypto community speculating about the topics of conversation, particularly whether regulatory issues or Ripple’s ongoing legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were addressed.
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Trump’s Influence and SEC Leadership
As Trump prepares for his inauguration later this month, he has selected Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. Given the ongoing Ripple-SEC litigation, many industry experts are keen to see if Atkins and the Trump administration will shift the agency’s current legal strategy. Reports indicate that the SEC’s grounds for appeal are due by January 15, just before Inauguration Day. Some XRP community members speculate that the new leadership might consider withdrawing the appeals, though no official announcements have been made.
Community Reactions and Ripple’s Future Prospects
Despite the absence of concrete details, the crypto community has largely responded positively to the meeting. Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, congratulated Garlinghouse, posting, “Nicely done Brad.” Other influencers shared similar sentiments. Moon Lambo (@MoonLamboio) tweeted, “If anyone thought Trump wasn’t serious about making crypto great again, you can put those fears TO BED!!! $XRP.” Pro-XRP attorney Bill Morgan commented, “Love that,” while Joey Swoll (@TheJoeySwoll) added, “Make crypto great again! LOCK IN! #XRPARMY.”
Critics and Skeptics Weigh In
However, the meeting was not without its critics. ĐΛRKHØRSΞ™ (@DarkhorseDNME4) raised questions about the cost, tweeting, “So for the record… you know ‘have met’ with Donald Trump, whereas before Stuart said you had and you hadn’t.. how much did that cost? I heard dinners with Trump are upwards of $100k per seat.” Despite this skepticism, the overall sentiment among XRP holders remains optimistic, with many hopeful that the dinner indicates more favorable crypto policies under Trump’s impending administration.
The Ripple Effect: Optimism and Growth
Garlinghouse recently shared a tweet on January 5, prior to the Mar-a-Lago meeting, emphasizing what he described as the “Trump bull market.” He stated, “2025 is here and the Trump bull market is real. For Ripple, this is even more personal after Gensler’s SEC effectively froze our business opportunities here at home for years. The optimism is obvious and very deserved.”
He further highlighted significant progress, noting that “75% of Ripple’s open roles are now US-based, while over the last 4 years, the vast majority of hires were outside the US.” Garlinghouse also mentioned that Ripple had “signed more US deals in the last six weeks of 2024 (since the election) than the previous six MONTHS.” He attributes these advancements to the “Trump effect,” asserting that the President-elect, along with allies like Scott Bessent, David Sacks, and Paul Atkins, has been instrumental in “jumpstarting innovation and job growth” even before taking office.
As of the latest update, XRP was trading at $2.28.
