US Senator Elizabeth Warren Questions OCC Review of World Liberty Financial Application

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-01-14Last updated on 2026-01-14

Abstract

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to halt its review of a national bank charter application from WLTC Holdings LLC, an entity tied to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), due to potential conflicts of interest involving former President Trump’s financial connections to the company. In a January 13 letter to OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould, Warren argued that approving the application could compromise regulatory integrity and public trust, especially given Trump’s ongoing ties to WLFI. She also raised concerns about gaps in crypto regulation, noting that existing laws like the GENIUS Act do not address conflicts of interest involving a sitting president. Warren requested a formal response by January 20 and urged a pause in the review until Trump fully severs his financial links to WLFI. The OCC has not yet responded.

A crypto bank charter review in the U.S. has come under scrutiny amid questions over governance and political ties. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to pause its review of a bank charter application linked to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), stating potential conflicts of interest.

Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter on January 13 to OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould, in which she argued that granting a national bank charter application submitted by WLTC Holdings LLC, an entity affiliated with WLFI, while Trump and his family continue to have financial ties in World Liberty Financial, which would place the regulator in an unusual position, like possibly overseeing a company that has a deep connection with the current president.

Earlier, in July 2025, she asked the OCC how it would handle situations where personal business ties could influence official decisions if it reviewed a charter linked to President Trump. Where the OCC Comptroller dismissed the concern as hypothetical, where this particular subject is not under OCC’s oversight, but that scenario has now become real after World Liberty Financial submitted a formal application, she noted in the letter.

She also wrote, “As Comptroller of the Currency, you are responsible for ensuring businesses and households have fair access to financial services and that our banking system remains stable. You must make decisions that benefit the American public—not President Trump’s pocketbook.” She cautioned that the integrity of the American banking system and public confidence in financial supervision could be compromised by such a move.

Debate grows over crypto regulation

With that, Warren connected the bank charter review to broader U.S. regulation of cryptocurrencies. She also criticized the fact that current crypto laws, like the GENIUS Act, do not contain any regulations about situations where a sitting president has financial interests in a crypto company. Even Congress failed to address this issue, which raises questions about the financial system’s fairness, openness, and public trust.

Warren then asked that the OCC pause its review until Trump completely withdraws from WLFI and resolves any associated financial issues, and before moving forward with the application, she asked the Comptroller to provide a formal resolution by January 20. As of now, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has not issued an official response.

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Related Questions

QWhy did Senator Elizabeth Warren urge the OCC to pause the review of World Liberty Financial's bank charter application?

AShe cited potential conflicts of interest due to former President Trump and his family's ongoing financial ties to World Liberty Financial, which could place the regulator in the unusual position of overseeing a company deeply connected to a former president.

QWhat specific action did Senator Warren request from OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould by January 20?

AShe requested that the OCC pause its review of the application until Trump completely withdraws from WLFI and resolves any associated financial issues, and asked the Comptroller to provide a formal resolution.

QHow did Senator Warren connect the bank charter review to broader U.S. cryptocurrency regulation?

AShe criticized that current crypto laws, like the GENIUS Act, lack regulations addressing situations where a sitting president has financial interests in a crypto company, raising concerns about the financial system's fairness and public trust.

QWhat was the OCC's previous response to Senator Warren's concerns about a hypothetical charter application linked to President Trump?

AThe OCC Comptroller had dismissed the concern as hypothetical in July 2025, stating that such a scenario was not under OCC's oversight at the time.

QWhat potential risks did Senator Warren highlight if the OCC proceeds with the application review under the current circumstances?

AShe cautioned that the integrity of the American banking system and public confidence in financial supervision could be compromised, emphasizing that decisions should benefit the American public, not the financial interests of a former president.

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