Trump’s ‘Free Ross Day One’ unfulfilled

The rallying cry of “Free Ross Day One” that energized Bitcoiners throughout Donald Trump’s campaign has met with disappointment as January 20 – Inauguration Day – came and went without action on the imprisonment of the Silk Road founder. The disappointment extends beyond Ulbricht’s supporters to the broader cryptocurrency community, which had also hoped for immediate action on Bitcoin policy.

Bitcoiners are waiting for “Free Ross” promises to come true

While Trump specifically promised to reverse Ross Ulbricht’s sentence “on day one” during a May 2024 speech at the Libertarian National Convention, recent statements from Ulbricht’s family have pointed to a broader January timeline. The family shared via their @Free_Ross social media account that he would be released this month, although they did not specify an exact date. However, prominent proponents, including Bitcoin attorney Jack Mallers, have consistently reiterated “Day one” mantra that set expectations for immediate action on January 20 that were not met.

The cryptocurrency community, which largely overlaps with Ulbricht’s supporters and is largely libertarian, faced their own disappointment as hope for a promised Bitcoin Strategic Reserve the announcement did not appear on the inauguration day either.

A mixed reception from Bitcoiners

Trump’s original promises came during a contentious appearance before the Libertarian National Convention, where he actively courted the party’s voters with promises of criminal justice reform and crypto-friendly policies. “And if you vote for me, on day one, I will transform the sentence by Ross Ulbricht,” Trump declared to cheers from a crowd waving “Free Ross” signs, though the overall reception to his speech remained mixed with sustained boos and jeers.

The promise to free Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence for his role in creating and running the dark web marketplace Silk Road, was a calculated appeal to libertarian-leaning Bitcoiners.

From campaign promise to reality

Ulbricht, now 40, was convicted in 2015 of multiple charges including drug distribution, participation in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and money laundering. The case has become a rallying point for Bitcoiners, who see it as a symbol of government overreach and a key moment in Bitcoin’s history, while prosecutors maintained that Silk Road facilitated over millions in illegal transactions and was linked to several overdose deaths.

Neither Trump nor the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York took any action on the matter during Inauguration Day, leaving supporters who took the “Day One” pledge literally increasingly frustrated. Although the month is not over — and the family’s January timeline could still be met — the end of the inauguration on January 20 without immediate action has dampened the optimism of Ulbricht’s most ardent supporters, who had hoped to see him released as Trump’s first act in office. .

The unfulfilled Day One promises highlight the complex political calculations surrounding both Ulbricht’s case and cryptocurrency politics. Trump’s promises earned him instant recognition from Bitcoiners and Libertarian congressmen. Late on January 20, Elon Musk, who has emerged as one of Trump’s key advisers, weighed in on the situation, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Ross is also freed.” While this statement offers renewed hope to Ulbricht’s supporters, questions remain about the timing and whether Trump will follow through on his commitments to the cryptocurrency community, and what the delay could mean for his broader campaign promises to these voting blocs.