Donald Trump speech takes furious turn as he explodes at stunned CNN reporter

Donald Trump was quick to lash out at a CNN presenter as she quizzed him after pardoning the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange founder. Changpeng Zhao, also known as 'CZ', was sentenced to four months in prison in April 2024 after pleading guilty to violating US money laundering laws. He also pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $4.3bn (£3.4bn) after a US investigation found that his business, Binance, helped users bypass sanctions.

On Thursday (October 23), the US President pardoned the business mogul, reigniting debate over the White House's embrace of cryptocurrency as the Trump family's own investments in the industry have deepened. Hours after the news hit the headlines, the Republican leader held a meeting with the press, where he answered many of the biggest issues facing the nation.

At this point, CNN broadcaster Kaitlan Collins asked the president why he had issued the pardon and if he had any involvement in his family's cryptocurrency finance.

Mr Trump replied: "I don't know, he was recommended by a lot of people. A lot of people said that he wasn't guilty of anything; he served four months in jail, and they say that he was not guilty of anything."

The President then launched into a fierce rant about the presenter, fuming: "Well, you don't know much about crypto. You know nothing about nothing, you fake news."

The Republican leader went on to defend his decision to pardon the businessman, adding that he consulted with people close to him before making the decision.

Mr Trump explained: "But let me just tell you, that he was somebody that, as I was told - I don't know him, I don't believe I've ever met him - I've been told he had a lot of support.

"And they say that what he did is not even a crime, it wasn't a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Zhao's prosecution under the Biden administration part of a "war on cryptocurrency", pushing back on critics who argued that the pardon appeared motivated by Trump's personal financial interests.

She said: "This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration", adding that the case had been "thoroughly reviewed". The secretary went on: "So the president wants to correct this overreach of the Biden administration's misjustice, and he exercised his constitutional authority to do so."