David Sacks

[PayPal COO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sacks), now [White House AI & Crypto Czar](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-president-elect-donald-j-trump-announcing-the-appointment-david-o-sacks-white) (Jan 2025). Chairs PCAST + President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets. The architecture of regulatory capture: operates as ["special government employee" (SGE)](https://fedtechmagazine.com/article/2025/03/ai-czar-david-sacks-means-for-federal-it-modernization-perfcon) — limited to 130 days/year, avoids Senate confirmation, retains general partnership at Craft Ventures. [White House Counsel issued 18 U.S.C. § 208(b)(1) waiver](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Memo-David-Sacks-3.5.2025-1.pdf) (Mar 5, 2025) allowing participation in digital asset regulation despite massive undisclosed financial interests. Craft Ventures invested in BitGo, Bitwise; personally invested in Multicoin Capital (heavy Solana exposure). The man writing crypto law profits directly from it.

Policy capture in action: Revoked Biden-era executive orders on crypto risk/consumer protection. Protects self-custody, ensures banking access for crypto firms, advocates dollar-backed stablecoins bypassing central banking. Mar 2, 2025: Crypto Strategic Reserve — mandated holding of handpicked tokens (XRP, SOL, ADA + BTC/ETH). Prices surged immediately, enriching positioned venture networks. [Senate Banking Committee inquiry](https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_david_sacks.pdf): administration "selectively pumping the value of certain crypto assets." On AI: aggressive "light-touch" deregulation via OMB, preempting state/local safety laws, championing Silicon Valley startups for defense AI integration. Sacks' role is not to advise the government — it is to structurally subvert the government's ability to govern the technologies his network owns. The PayPal Mafia member setting national AI + digital currency policy = the fox designing the henhouse. Mar 18, 2026: TRUMP AMERICA AI Act. Sacks’ regulatory architecture codified into federal law via Blackburn. See below.