Trump Says Sons Run World Liberty Financial

President Donald Trump acknowledged co-owning World Liberty Financial and said his sons run the cryptocurrency company, while telling interviewer Ross Douthat he knew nothing about its dealings. The comments, made in a CBS interview on November 8, came amid scrutiny of the company’s reported UAE-linked investment and renewed requests from Senator Richard Blumenthal for its records.

Asked why he had not divested his interest, Trump said his sons manage the business and that it was difficult to ask them to stop operating it while he is president. He also said much of his wealth is managed through Wall Street firms and index funds. When asked whether foreign investors might believe they were buying influence through the company, Trump replied that he did not know.

The reported investment at issue involves a UAE-linked vehicle that agreed to acquire a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million shortly before Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. That account traces to reporting by The Wall Street Journal and was cited by Senate Democrats. The interview did not establish what Trump knew about the agreement or when he learned of it.

Blumenthal, a Democrat, wrote to World...