"Startled from a deathbed illness," SBF desperately flatters Trump for pardon but gets rejected

marsbitPublished on 2026-02-25Last updated on 2026-02-25

Abstract

Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the convicted cryptocurrency fraudster and former major donor to the Democratic Party, has recently adopted a pro-Trump and MAGA-aligned rhetoric in a series of social media posts. Despite being sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, SBF has been actively praising Donald Trump and criticizing what he calls the "Deep State" and partisan bias in the judiciary, explicitly naming the judge who sentenced him. His apparent goal is to seek a presidential pardon from Trump, who has previously pardoned high-profile financial criminals, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ). However, the Trump administration has reiterated that he has no intention of pardoning SBF, along with several other notable prisoners. SBF, once a prominent supporter of progressive causes, began shifting toward conservative alignment after the collapse of FTX, even planning to appear on Tucker Carlson’s show as a Republican. Despite his efforts, his history as a top Biden donor and his notorious reputation in crypto make a pardon highly unlikely. SBF continues to appeal and maintains an active, conservatively-focused social media presence through approved prison communication channels.

Author: Fortune

Compiled by: Felix, PANews

Convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was once a major donor to the Democratic Party, but his recent public statements have taken on a distinct "MAGA" (Make America Great Again) tone. In a recent manifesto posted on platform X, he wrote: "Judge Lewis Kaplan, appointed by Clinton, showed no restraint in his political bias when sentencing me. I admire President Donald Trump because he dares to stand up to this 'partisan, out-of-control radical'!"

This is just one of dozens of tweets SBF has posted in recent weeks, filled with attacks on the "Deep State" and other MAGA villains. Despite being one of the most notorious financial criminals of the century, currently serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison, he remains active.

Although SBF has not explicitly stated it, the purpose of his social media frenzy is obvious: to persuade President Donald Trump to rescue him from prison. Given that Trump has pardoned several high-profile individuals convicted of financial crimes, including SBF's former rival, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), this strategy seems logical.

However, for SBF, his plea for Trump's mercy appears futile. In response to recent social media advocacy, a White House spokesperson reiterated to Fortune magazine that Trump has no intention of pardoning SBF.

In an email, the spokesperson referenced Trump's remarks in January of this year, when the president explicitly stated that he did not plan to pardon SBF or several other high-profile prisoners, including former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez and ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The spokesperson wrote: "The president is the final arbiter of all pardon matters."

SBF's lawyers did not respond to the matter.

Failed Attempt

SBF has long been a supporter of progressive causes, and his parents, both law professors at Stanford University, wield considerable influence among top Democrats. However, when SBF's fraudulent crypto empire collapsed in November 2022, the founder began planning a shift to the right. During the trial, a private document revealed that SBF planned to appear on conservative TV host Tucker Carlson's show and "come out as a Republican."

On the surface, this strategy seemed reasonable, especially in the current political climate. Trump is set to take office in January 2025 and has promised to roll back the Biden administration's crackdown on cryptocurrencies. Under Trump's leadership, regulators have withdrawn key lawsuits against blockchain companies, and the Department of Justice has shifted its approach to cryptocurrency enforcement.

However, Washington insiders say SBF's status as a top donor to Biden, combined with his continued notoriety in the crypto industry, made his pardon plea a long shot from the start. Even his unauthorized appearance on Tucker Carlson's show last year (which reportedly landed him in solitary confinement) failed to turn the tide.

Despite the slim chances, SBF has not given up. He is still appealing his conviction in federal appellate court. His X account is filled with posts promoting his newly adopted conservative identity, which critics have dubbed a "puppet account." (In his bio, SBF clarifies that he communicates content to agents via Bureau of Prisons-approved phones and emails for posting.)

A recent post read: "Democrats love to censor 'misinformation' on social media," followed by praise for Trump's campaign platform. "Truth Social and GETTR have always put free speech first."

Related reading: SBF's first prison interview: I was targeted by the DOJ for donating to the Republican Party, begging President Trump's pardon

Platform Token Surges 15-Fold in Half a Month, Pons Tops Both Token Issuance and Trading on Robinhood Chain

The article details the rapid rise of Pons as the leading token launch and trading platform on Robinhood Chain. Following NOXA's halt of new token issuance, several platforms vied for the resulting traffic. By mid-July, Pons surged ahead, achieving the highest daily token creation volume (over 15,000 tokens on July 15th) and soon after capturing the largest daily trading volume ($40.7M on July 18th), consistently maintaining both top positions. Pons's key advantage is its streamlined, single-transaction process that deploys a token's contract and its Uniswap V3 liquidity pool simultaneously, eliminating the need for bonding curves or subsequent DEX migrations. This simplicity caters to the demand for fast, low-cost launches on Robinhood Chain. The platform's native token, PONS, played a pivotal role in its growth, experiencing a price surge of over 15x from mid-July. A tokenomics model that uses 80% of protocol fees to buy back and burn PONS has contributed to its value and heightened platform visibility. Looking ahead, Pons V2 aims to expand beyond meme tokens by integrating support for paying transaction fees with assets like USDG or RWA tokens, aligning with Robinhood Chain's focus on on-chain finance and real-world assets.

marsbit31m ago

Platform Token Surges 15-Fold in Half a Month, Pons Tops Both Token Issuance and Trading on Robinhood Chain

marsbit31m ago

Apple's Q3 Results Largely Meet Expectations, Supply and Memory Pressure Drive After-Hours Drop of 6%

Apple's Q3 (FY2026) earnings largely met expectations, but weak guidance and rising costs drove the stock down 6.3% after hours. Revenue of $109.42B slightly beat estimates, and EPS of $2.02 was boosted by a $0.11 tariff refund. Core EPS was $1.91, aligning with forecasts. iPhone and Mac sales were strong, but iPad and Services revenue fell short. Greater China growth slowed. The outlook for the next quarter is concerning. Apple guided for 9-11% revenue growth, below the ~12% consensus, citing significant supply constraints for iPhones, Macs, and iPads due to advanced chip shortages. Gross margin guidance of 47-48% includes a 1-point tariff benefit, implying a core margin of 46-47%, down from 48.1% this quarter. Management highlighted rising memory costs as a major pressure point. While Apple's AI initiatives like Siri are progressing, monetization remains early. With the stock near all-time highs, the combination of in-line results, segment weaknesses, and a cautious outlook triggered significant profit-taking. The focus has shifted from resilient demand to supply chain execution and cost management.

marsbit36m ago

Apple's Q3 Results Largely Meet Expectations, Supply and Memory Pressure Drive After-Hours Drop of 6%

marsbit36m ago

Platform Token Soars 15x in Half a Month, Pons Tops Robinhood Chain Charts for Both Token Launches and Trading

In just half a month, the Pons platform token (PONS) surged over 15x in value as Pons solidified its position as the leading token launch and trading platform on Robinhood Chain, capturing both the highest daily token creation volume and transaction volume. Following the exit of previous leader NOXA, competition initially favored Flap before Pons emerged dominant around mid-July. By July 26th, Pons accounted for 77.1% of total trading volume across all Robinhood Chain launchpads. Pons's success is attributed to its streamlined, one-transaction process for deploying a token contract and its corresponding Uniswap V3 liquidity pool simultaneously, eliminating the need for bonding curves or complex migrations. This simplicity, combined with low creation costs and immediate tradability, attracted significant creation activity and speculative trading. The meteoric rise of its native token, PONS, further fueled platform growth. A tokenomics model directing 80% of protocol fees to buy back and burn PONS created a reinforcing cycle: platform usage boosted PONS value, which in turn attracted more users. Looking ahead, Pons V2 aims to expand beyond meme tokens by integrating support for paying fees in stablecoins (USDG) and RWA assets, aligning with Robinhood Chain's broader focus on on-chain finance and stock tokens.

Odaily星球日报36m ago

Platform Token Soars 15x in Half a Month, Pons Tops Robinhood Chain Charts for Both Token Launches and Trading

Odaily星球日报36m ago

Qualcomm Chip Price Hike Deals a Blow to Android Phones

Qualcomm has officially announced a new round of price increases for its entire chip portfolio, effective September 1. The hikes, reaching up to 18% for the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, follow similar moves by MediaTek, intensifying cost pressures on the already strained smartphone industry. CEO Cristiano Amon confirmed the plan, citing the need to offset rising industry-wide costs and restore declining profit margins. Qualcomm's Q3 FY2026 results showed a 25% drop in net profit, with mobile revenue plunging 20% year-over-year, hitting its lowest level since 2021. The surge in AI computing demand has led memory manufacturers to prioritize HBM production, creating a shortage in general-purpose DRAM and NAND Flash chips. Their prices soared by 93%-98% and 55%-60% respectively in Q1 2026, causing the memory cost share in smartphones to jump from 10%-15% to over 30%. Coupled with the soaring cost of advanced nodes like TSMC's 2nm and packaging, overall chip costs have reached historic highs. These upstream pressures are forcing downstream smartphone brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo to cut orders for mid-to-low-end models by up to 20% and use cost-saving measures like older chipsets. Reportedly, the Snapdragon 8E5 will be repurposed as a "long-lasting" chip for sub-brand phones in H2 2026. Amid this cost crisis, the Android market remains sluggish. Q2 2026 smartphone shipments in China fell 4.3% year-over-year, marking five consecutive quarters of decline. Major Android brands saw market share drop, while Huawei and Apple, with their in-house chip advantages, gained share. Qualcomm is diversifying into automotive and IoT sectors to reduce reliance on smartphones, but these new segments cannot yet fill the mobile revenue gap. Industry observers warn that the full impact of component cost hikes will hit in the second half of 2026, likely leading to higher-than-expected price increases for Android flagships and a further contraction in the Chinese smartphone market.

marsbit47m ago

Qualcomm Chip Price Hike Deals a Blow to Android Phones

marsbit47m ago

Breaking: GPT-5.6 Prices Slashed Effective Today

OpenAI has announced significant price cuts for its GPT-5.6 model API, effective immediately. The entry-level **GPT-5.6 Luna** sees the most drastic reduction, with input prices dropping 80% to $0.20 per million tokens and output prices falling to $1.20 per million tokens. The mid-tier **GPT-5.6 Terra** is reduced by 20%, now costing $2.00 (input) and $12.00 (output) per million tokens. The flagship **GPT-5.6 Sol** maintains its original price but introduces a new **Fast mode**, offering speeds up to 2.5 times faster for double the cost. The company attributes these price reductions to efficiency gains achieved through **GPT-5.6 Sol's own involvement in optimizing its production systems**. The model assisted in rewriting GPU kernels and improving speculative decoding, leading to a 20% reduction in end-to-end service costs and over 15% improvement in token generation efficiency. OpenAI emphasizes this process remained human-led. A key focus of the降价 is to lower the barrier for running **AI agent workflows**. By making the capable, tool-calling Luna model significantly cheaper, OpenAI aims to enable more frequent use in cost-sensitive, high-volume tasks like code review and monitoring. This creates a potential feedback loop: model-assisted efficiency gains lead to lower costs, which enables broader agent deployment, which in turn drives further optimization. The new pricing and features will also apply to Codex and ChatGPT Work subscriptions. The changes intensify competition in the large language model market, with OpenAI directly challenging rivals like Anthropic to respond.

marsbit1h ago

Breaking: GPT-5.6 Prices Slashed Effective Today