Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democrat, came out swinging on behalf of Bitcoin on Thursday while criticizing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Kennedy, a member of one of the most famous U.S. political families, believes CBDCs pose a risk of oppressive control and are likely to be misused.
A Friend Of Bitcoin
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has shared his opinion on cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies (AI), among other things, in his latest interview.
Speaking to The New York Post on June 22, Kennedy — an environmental lawyer, son of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew to United States’ 35th president John F. Kennedy and former Sen. Ted Kennedy — outlined planned crypto policies he would introduce if he took office.
“I will make sure that we have policies that support Bitcoin and the freedom to transact and that allow individuals to manage their own Bitcoin wallets, nodes, and passwords,” Kennedy stated.
The candidate indicated that he would support a permissive regulatory environment in the United States that “only allow the narrowest controls that are necessary to prevent money laundering.”
Kennedy, who officially announced his 2024 presidential bid on April 19, grabbed the headlines last month when he lambasted President Joe Biden’s proposal for an excise duty that would charge cryptocurrency miners in the U.S. 30% of their energy costs — a move that cited the environmental and societal harm caused by crypto mining operations.
Moreover, he told attendees during a May 19 keynote speech at the Bitcoin Miami Conference that he would accept donations for his presidential campaign in bitcoin — which will essentially make him the first presidential candidate in US history to accept campaign donations in the flagship cryptocurrency.
A Foe Of CBDCs
During the interview with The New York Post, Kennedy also weighed in on the debate over CBDCs, saying such government-backed tokens are “instruments of control and oppression, and are certain to be abused.”
For those who don’t know, CBDCs are digital forms of national fiat currencies, which a country’s central bank issues. The United States Federal Reserve has not yet announced plans to roll out a digital dollar. However, presidential candidates in 2024’s U.S. election, like Kennedy, are already sounding an alarm.
Kennedy’s staunch anti-CBDC view echoes that of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican U.S. presidential candidate earlier this year proposed a law to ban the use of CBDCs as money within Florida.
