By Key Points
- Trump XRP Scandal Explodes as Ripple Lobbyist Exposed
- Trump reportedly misled into promoting XRP via lobbyist Brian Ballard.
- Ballard has financial ties to Ripple, a major XRP stakeholder.
- Trump allegedly furious, but XRP may stay in the crypto reserve.
- Market shrugs off scandal; XRP price remains largely unaffected.
In a surprising twist that’s rattling the political and crypto communities alike, a new report claims former President Donald Trump was tricked into supporting XRP for the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve.
The alleged manipulator? Veteran lobbyist Brian Ballard — a longtime Trump ally — who has deep financial ties to Ripple Labs, the company behind XRP. According to the report, Ballard’s firm received $60,000 from Ripple last year and used that influence to push XRP into the spotlight of Trump’s proposed crypto agenda.
Ripple Listed as a Ballard Partners Client. Source: OpenSecrets. – Techtoken
Just weeks after taking office, Trump made headlines for announcing a U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve, a policy similar in ambition to Arizona’s recently proposed Bitcoin Reserve Fund. Trump’s reserve included not just Bitcoin, but also altcoins like Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and notably, XRP. At the time, it was seen as an unexpected — yet bullish — move for these coins.
However, new political disclosures suggest this inclusion may not have been Trump’s idea at all. A staffer from Ballard’s team allegedly lobbied hard for XRP’s inclusion, while Ballard himself never disclosed his firm’s ties to Ripple. When Trump learned of the financial relationship, insiders say he was livid — though no public statement has been made by Trump or his team.
President Trump exiled a top lobbyist for promoting Ripple’s XRP.
The Strategic Reserve is buy-only BTC and hold.
The Crypto Stockpile is sell-only and maybe hold.
Bitcoin maximalism is ascendant. pic.twitter.com/4YA2UOfxMZ
— Pierre Rochard (@BitcoinPierre) May 8, 2025
Ripple ties may keep XRP in Trump’s crypto plans
Despite the uproar, XRP’s position in Trump’s strategic crypto plan may remain untouched — and that has everything to do with Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse.
Garlinghouse is a known supporter of Trump’s crypto policies. He donated millions to Trump’s inauguration and has stayed connected ever since. Political insiders suggest that while Trump may have been angry about the deception, he holds no specific grudge against XRP or Ripple. In fact, the altcoin may have earned a safe spot thanks to Garlinghouse’s strong relationship with the former president.
Remember when Trump posted about an XRP, SOL, and ADA crypto reserve? We now know who was behind it, a lobbyist name Brian Ballard, whose client list includes Ripple Labs.
Story below 👇 pic.twitter.com/fYr9zJagOB
— Christine Lee (@christinenews) May 8, 2025
There’s also a timing element to consider. The inclusion of XRP happened right before Trump’s highly publicized Crypto Summit, and advisors worried removing the asset might look like instability. Even more, the executive order regarding the reserve only calls for a feasibility assessment — not an immediate implementation. This means there’s still time for decisions to change.
Meanwhile, the market appears unfazed. XRP prices showed little to no change following the report, signaling that investors don’t believe Trump will walk back the move anytime soon. Political analysts also note that without a formal crypto reserve yet established, any talk of removing XRP is still speculative.
this is wild lmao
XRP lobbyist misled Trump to write a tweet to pump the coin pic.twitter.com/YwD8daxpkX
— mert | helius.dev (@0xMert_) May 8, 2025
Interestingly, Ripple has had recent legal success that may help solidify investor confidence. The company scored a major court victory, with Ripple investors winning a $75M lawsuit. This win may further cement XRP’s place in political and financial discussions, especially within Trump-aligned crypto circles.
What This Means for Trump’s Crypto Strategy
This scandal raises questions about Trump’s broader crypto approach. While he’s long positioned himself as a pro-crypto leader, incidents like this test the credibility of that stance.
His earlier declaration to create a Crypto Strategic Reserve was viewed as a game-changer, and some speculated it could open doors for stronger regulation and growth in crypto custody services. In fact, discussions around secure digital asset management have surged lately, and Trump’s decisions could directly impact how these crypto custody services evolve in the U.S.
Trump’s crypto stance has also been shaped by the profits narrative. Earlier this year, his campaign leaned heavily into promoting potential crypto profits, suggesting that smart investments could rejuvenate the U.S. economy. With XRP now under a cloud of manipulation, critics may use this scandal to question whether Trump is truly aligned with investor interests or simply reacting to lobbyist influence.
Still, despite this political shake-up, crypto adoption continues. Exchange activity is rising, and platforms like Binance are seeing explosive volume as airdrop hunting trends dominate retail participation.
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