David Sacks Named White House A.I. Czar

Venture investor and podcaster David Sacks will join the Trump administration as the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,” President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday. Sacks will guide the administration’s policies on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, with key responsibilities including crafting a legal framework for crypto and leading a presidential advisory council on science and technology.

“David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump wrote. “He will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.”

This appointment highlights the Trump administration’s growing ties with Silicon Valley figures who supported his campaign, signaling a push for policies favorable to cryptocurrency entrepreneurs. Sacks, a major Trump supporter, hosted a fundraiser at his San Francisco mansion earlier this year, with tickets priced at $50,000 and VIP packages going for $300,000, which included a photo with Trump.

This marks a significant shift for Sacks, who was previously a vocal critic of Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. On his All-In podcast, he said Trump was “clearly” responsible for the events and had “disqualified himself from being a candidate at a national level.” However, by mid-2023, Sacks was speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, a clear sign of his shift in allegiance.

Sacks, who sold his company Yammer to Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012, is also a key member of the “PayPal mafia,” a group of influential tech entrepreneurs and investors, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who worked together at PayPal in the 1990s.

Known for his podcast, All-In, which he hosts with fellow investors Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, and David Friedberg, Sacks has become a prominent voice in tech, discussing a wide range of political, economic, and social issues. Trump hailed All-In as “the top podcast in Tech,” recognizing its influence in the industry.