XRP Lobbying Sparks Trump Truth Social Post and White House Exile for Lobbyist Ballard
In a dramatic turn at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s decision to promote a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve and Digital Assets Reserve initiative on Truth Social back in March, has led to the exile of one of his closest allies, lobbyist Brian Ballard.
The incident, which unfolded in early March 2025, centered on a Truth Social post touting a “Crypto Strategic Reserve” that included XRP, a cryptocurrency tied to Ripple Labs, a client of Ballard’s lobbying firm. What seemed like a routine endorsement spiraled into a rift when Trump learned of Ballard’s connection to Ripple, leaving the president feeling misled and prompting a swift banishment of the once trusted advisor from the White House inner circle.
The saga began during a donor event at Mar-a-Lago, where a Ballard Partners employee pressed Trump to highlight the cryptocurrency industry in a public statement. The employee provided a draft message that specifically named XRP alongside other tokens like Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) as part of a proposed Crypto Strategic Reserve.
Trump, receptive to the idea of positioning the U.S. as a global leader in digital assets, posted the message on Truth Social on March 2, 2025. The post, which garnered significant attention, aligned with Trump’s broader agenda to counter what he described as the Biden administration’s “corrupt attacks” on the crypto sector. However, the inclusion of XRP raised eyebrows among White House staff, particularly when it emerged that Ripple Labs was a client of Ballard’s firm.
A Betrayal Uncovered
The fallout was immediate. David Sacks, Trump’s appointed “crypto czar,” contacted White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to express dismay over the post, which appeared to favor specific companies ahead of a planned crypto summit.
Wiles, unaware of the post’s origins, began investigating and soon discovered Ballard’s ties to Ripple Labs. Trump, feeling manipulated, was incensed. Sources close to the president report that he viewed Ballard’s actions as a breach of trust, accusing the lobbyist of leveraging their decades-long relationship for personal gain. By mid-March, Trump had declared Ballard unwelcome in White House circles, a directive that staff were instructed to enforce.
Ballard, whose firm has thrived since Trump’s return to power, denied any intent to deceive. In a statement reviewed by Politico, he emphasized his firm’s track record of effective advocacy and dismissed claims of being frozen out, pointing to continued engagements with administration officials. Yet the incident has strained his standing.
Ripple Labs, which benefited from Trump’s mention and a subsequent regulatory win, had lobbied Ballard to push XRP’s inclusion in the administration’s crypto strategy. The episode underscores the delicate balance of influence in Washington, where personal access to power can quickly turn to liability when trust is questioned.