Senators Demand Answers: DOJ Grilled Over Trump Admin’s Alleged Binance Backroom Deal

Washington's digging deeper into the crypto-political complex—and the revelations are shaking both Wall Street and the blockchain.

Behind Closed Doors

Lawmakers aren't buying the official story. They're pushing the DOJ for full transparency on what really went down between the previous administration and one of crypto's largest exchanges. The questions are sharp, the demands are public, and the timing couldn't be more charged.

Power, Policy, and Digital Assets

This isn't just another hearing—it's a spotlight on how regulatory decisions get made when billions in market cap hang in the balance. Allegations of backchannel talks, preferential treatment, and political influence are all on the table. And the crypto markets are watching every move.

When oversight looks the other way, someone's usually getting rich—and it's rarely the retail investor.

Accountability demand

In a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questioned whether Binance is complying with the terms of its 2023 guilty plea for money laundering, sanctions violations, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. They also asked whether Binance executives had discussed a pardon for former CEO Changpeng Zhao, or raised World Liberty Financial’s plans to list a new stablecoin, during interactions with DOJ officials.

Senators press DOJ as Trump’s Binance ties cloud $4.3B deal

The senators’ concerns intensified after reports that Binance is negotiating with the DOJ to drop its independent compliance monitor, a key safeguard in the $4.3 billion settlement. In their letter, Warren, Hirono, and Blumenthal highlighted that since May, President Trump and his family have expanded their financial ties to Binance through World Liberty Financial, making oversight even more critical. 

Yet the DOJ’s September reply to their earlier inquiry sidestepped whether Binance is actually fulfilling its ongoing compliance obligations, offering only a summary of the plea agreement.

Calling the DOJ’s response inadequate, the senators stressed the need for transparency in light of Trump’s direct financial connections to the exchange. They demanded meaningful answers by October 1, 2025, warning that any deal to lift Binance’s compliance monitor would raise serious questions about political influence over one of the largest enforcement cases in crypto history. The standoff underscores how the intersection of politics, corporate power, and digital asset regulation is becoming a flashpoint in Washington.

Also read: Binance nears end of DOJ compliance monitorship