Chris Lehane and Donald Trump (Getty)
In 2024, Lehane joined the board of Coinbase, which operates one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, and has taken an active role influencing crypto and AI policy in recent months.
Coinbase’s Board of Directors has donated more than $22 million to Democratic candidates and committees while donating less than $5 million to Republicans, FEC records show.
Those donations include almost $50,000 to Kamala Harris' campaign since 2009, including to her presidential campaign, from board member and top Democratic donor Ron Conway.
Conway has donated over $300,000 to the DNC, over $1.5 million to the DCCC and millions to the House Majority PAC and Senate Majority PAC, FEC records show.
Since 1999, board member Fred Wilson has given over $2 million to political campaigns and committees, and only $17,600 of that went to Republicans, FEC records show.
MR. WONDERFUL TALKS 'EXCITEMENT' AROUND CRYPTOCURRENCY UNDER TRUMP: AMERICA IS IN A 'NEW PHASE'
Additionally, Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council is laden with Trump critics, including John Anzelone, a pollster for Biden, Obama and Hillary Clinton; former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper; former Democratic mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa; former GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, who said in September he would not vote for Trump; and former Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, who served on the January 6th Select Committee.
Julia Krieger, Coinbase's head of U.S. public affairs, previously worked for American Bridge, a Democratic opposition research firm, and Media Matters, known for organizing pressure campaigns against conservative voices it opposes. She also held multiple roles in the Biden administration and the 2020 Biden campaign.
Coinbase does have two Trump allies on its advisory board — David Urban and recently appointed Chris LaCivita, who served as the Republican National Committee's chief operating officer and held multiple titles on the successful 2024 Trump campaign. Additionally, several members of Coinbase's executive team have donated to Republicans, including Brian Armstrong and Paul Grewal.
A man holding cryptocurrency coins (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
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"Shocking, another Trump hater is trying to cozy up to Trump for business purposes," a person close to the Trump administration told Fox News Digital. "Trump won’t be fooled."
Lately, Lehane has been vocal about efforts to cozy up to the incoming administration, which has made advancing crypto and AI technology a priority, and even visited the White House in March. He "has had many meetings with Trump administration officials about AI policy, and expects a full strategy to be released by the summer," Axios reported.
"There's a real focus from the administration on developing an AI strategy to ensure U.S. economic competitiveness and national security are prioritized," Lehane told the outlet.
"Our work stream is intersecting with where the administration is going."
Lehane penned an op-ed for Fox News in March, "Securing the AI future: How President Trump's action plan can position America for success."
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/meet-ai-crypto-executive-cozying-up-trump-while-also-backing-resistance-movement