- Patrick Witt says the US strategic Bitcoin reserve remains on the internal priority list.
- Witt contradicts reports about the sale of seized Bitcoins in the Samourai wallet case.
The plans for a strategic Bitcoin reserve in the USA remain on the White House’s internal priority list, but in their implementation they encounter legal problems and limits of competence between the authorities. Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the White House Crypto Council, said this in a Interview mit „Crypto In America“ am 13. Januar.
US Bitcoin Reserve remains a “priority”
When moderator Eleanor Terrett asked how the White House currently thinks about a strategic Bitcoin reserve, Witt initially referred to ongoing coordination within the administration. He said there would be another call on this “later this afternoon,” and named several agencies involved, including Steven Miller’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy team, which tracks the implementation of presidential executive orders across agencies, as well as the Treasury and Commerce departments.
Witt described the implementation as less straightforward than it seems at first glance:
“From the outside it often sounds straightforward, but then you come across obscure legal regulations – why this authority can’t do it, but another could. […] We’re continuing to push this forward. It’s definitely still on the priority list.”
Witt particularly emphasized the importance of legal protection. In the past few weeks there have been “new developments” and findings, as well as discussions with general counsels from various authorities. He cited the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the Department of Justice as an example.
According to Witt, the OLC acts in the executive branch as “the Supreme Court within the administration” and has provided “good guidelines” on how the President’s Executive Order can be legally implemented. “More on that soon,” Witt added, without giving details.
Witt also addressed a report from Bitcoin Magazine that claimed that bitcoins seized in connection with the Samourai wallet case were sold by the DOJ, a clear violation of the Bitcoin Reserve Executive Order.
Witt contradicted the claim and spoke of a partially incorrect representation. “I think this was somewhat misreported,” he said. “Looking at the settlement and the legal documents, it sounds like the agency is taking a certain action.” However, in discussions with the DOJ, it emerged that the wordings were typical standard clauses: “They are written in such a way that they keep all options and rights open.”
What is crucial is that, according to Witt, the stocks in question have not yet been sold. “These bitcoins have not been liquidated. These digital assets have not been sold,” Witt said. Therefore, in his view, the concern that the DOJ had “obviously violated” the Executive Order was “not a concern.” At the same time, he said that he “couldn’t say anything more about it at the moment” and that further developments were possible.
Will Trump make promises again?
Witt’s statements come at a time when US President Donald Trump is under considerable pressure at home. The midterm elections in the United States are in November this year. If Trump loses the majority in Congress, he runs the risk of not being able to get anything done for two years.
According to Polymarket, there is currently a 78% chance that Democrats will win the majority in the House of Representatives in the midterms. At the same time, Trump is aware of the electoral power of the crypto community, which, as “single-issue” voters, had a significant impact on his success in the presidential election.
Because of this, the community is speculating whether Trump will again seek votes in the election campaign with promises such as a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Whether it will actually be implemented remains an open question. All deadlines of the Executive Order on the Bitcoin Reserve have so far passed without any significant reports or results being published. “Budget-neutral” purchasing strategies have not yet been made public either.
Trump needs you. And that is exactly what is dangerous.
There will be midterm elections in November 2026. If Trump loses the majority in Congress, he will no longer be able to implement anything for two years.
He knows who helped finance his election victory in 2024: the crypto community.
Last week he… pic.twitter.com/FVMWX13PP9
— Smart Money Crypto (@HugotoCrypto) January 13, 2026
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