In an intriguing development on January 7, 2025, Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty were noticed having a meal with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The news became a hot topic when Garlinghouse and Alderoty both shared a photo with Trump on their social media platforms, gaining substantial attention in no time.
The Ripple-Trump Dinner: What was Discussed?
Garlinghouse expressed his excitement about the dinner with Trump and Alderoty, hinting at a strong start to 2025. Alderoty, choosing to add a hint of humor to his post, mentioned the high quality of the beef bourguignon they had. However, neither executive gave concrete details about the discussion during the dinner, leaving the cryptocurrency community to wonder whether they discussed regulatory issues or Ripple’s ongoing legal tussle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Trump, whose inauguration is expected later this month, selected Paul Atkins to lead the SEC in December. Given the ongoing Ripple-SEC case, the crypto market analysts eagerly await to see how Atkins and Trump’s administration will approach the SEC’s appeal strategy. As Bitcoinist reported recently, the SEC must submit the grounds for their appeal by January 15, just a few days before Trump’s Inauguration Day. Speculations are rife in the XRP community that a withdrawal of the appeal could be on the table with the new administration, however, no official statements have been made yet.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the dinner discussion, the meeting was largely appreciated by crypto enthusiasts. Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, congratulated Garlinghouse directly.
However, there were also voices of skepticism among the crypto community, with some questioning the cost involved in arranging such a meeting with Trump.
The Crypto Market Perspective
On the whole, the XRP community seems to be upbeat, predicting that this meeting could signify the adoption of more crypto-friendly policies under Trump’s administration.
A couple of days before the Mar-a-Lago meeting, Garlinghouse had tweeted about the “Trump bull market,” driving anticipation for positive changes for Ripple and the broader crypto market. He noted the tangible signs of growth, revealing that a significant number of Ripple’s open roles are now US-based, a considerable shift from the last four years where most hirings were made outside the US.
At the time this report was submitted, the trading price of XRP stood at $2.28, indicating a promising start to the year for the cryptocurrency market.
FAQs
What did Ripple’s Executives Discuss with Trump?
While it’s known that Ripple executives Brad Garlinghouse and Stuart Alderoty had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump, the specifics of their discussion haven’t been made public. This has led to speculation in the crypto community about potential regulatory issues or developments in Ripple’s ongoing legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission being discussed.
What does Ripple’s Dinner with Trump mean for Cryptocurrency?
The dinner meeting has mostly been met with optimism in the crypto community. Many believe it could signal the adoption of more crypto-friendly policies under Trump’s administration. However, without specific details from the meeting, these remain speculations.
What are the Tangible Signs of Growth for Ripple?
Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, revealed that a significant portion of the company’s open roles are now US-based, a major shift from previous years where most hires were outside the US. He also mentioned that Ripple has sealed more US deals in the six weeks following the 2024 presidential election than in the preceding six months.
