Trump defends $1.4B crypto windfall as CLARITY Act odds slide

U.S. President Donald Trump has defended the financial gains disclosed in his latest filings after records showed he earned at least $1.4 billion from crypto-related ventures, while market expectations for the CLARITY Act’s passage this year have weakened.

According to Trump’s remarks to reporters before departing for a trip, the president attributed his investment gains to the strong performance of the stock market rather than to any personal trading decisions. He said his finances are managed by investment funds and added that he is not directly involved in making investment decisions.

The comments came shortly after financial disclosures for 2025 showed Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income tied to cryptocurrency ventures. According to the filing, much of that income came from licensing agreements connected to the TRUMP meme coin and sales of the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) token.

Although the filing detailed substantial crypto earnings, Trump did not address those revenues directly in his remarks. Instead, he pointed to the stock market rally and noted that many investors had benefited from rising asset prices. His comments also followed speculation in recent weeks that he has been actively trading through investment accounts, although he stated that outside fund managers oversee those assets.

The Trump administration has also maintained investments outside the crypto sector. Among them is Intel, whose shares have risen sharply since the administration disclosed its position in the company.

Political scrutiny has intensified around Trump’s crypto business

The latest disclosure arrives as lawmakers continue debating ethics rules tied to digital asset legislation in Congress.

According to Polymarket data, the probability of President Trump signing the CLARITY Act into law in 2026 has fallen to 39%, indicating traders now see a lower chance of the market structure bill clearing Congress this year.

The disclosure has also renewed criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Following the release, Senator Elizabeth Warren argued that the legislation should include safeguards preventing Trump and his family from continuing to profit from crypto while federal digital asset policy is under consideration.

As previously reported by crypto.news, Senate Democrats recently requested hearings into a reported $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial linked to the United Arab Emirates. The lawmakers questioned whether the transaction had any connection to later U.S. policy decisions involving arms sales and expanded AI chip access for the UAE.

The newly released financial filing adds an official record to that debate by showing crypto generated more reported income for Trump in 2025 than the business segments most closely associated with his personal brand.

Some officials still expect crypto legislation to advance

Despite weakening prediction market odds, several policymakers continue to express confidence that digital asset legislation can still move forward before the end of the summer.

As previously reported by crypto.news, Congress faces a limited legislative window before the Senate begins its recess, leaving the CLARITY Act with only a short period to advance. The timing has become more important as negotiations continue over whether an ethics provision should be included in the final legislation.

Separately, Hester Peirce has maintained an optimistic outlook. According to her recent comments, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission commissioner believes Congress can still pass the CLARITY Act during the summer, even as political disagreements over ethics rules continue.