Republican

Donald Trump

Former Speaker for the United States House of Representatives Paul Ryan took the stage at the North American Blockchain Summit in Texas on Nov. 20 for an interview with former White House Security Adviser Faryar Shirzad.&nbsp;
While the conversation touched on a variety of political topics, its central theme concerned what the impending Donald Trump administration must do to overcome party-line partisanship in order to enact his agenda.&nbsp;
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 <img alt="Cryptocurrencies, Congress, United States, Donald Trump, US Elections 2024" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-11/01934b4d-f1cd-76b1-b674-1f5c1d7a466c" title="">
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 Paul Ryan and Faryad Shirzad at the North American Blockchain Summit. Source: Cointelegraph
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<h2 id="crypto-on-capitol-hill">Crypto on Capitol Hill</h2>
Trump’s election victory heightened expectations for the cryptocurrency sector, with many declaring the president-elect and the Republican party the first “crypto administration.” However, speaking to Shirzad, Ryan cautioned against Republican complacency and urged swift, bipartisan action to get crypto across the goal line at the federal level.&nbsp;
Ryan, the House speaker from 2015 through 2019, offered his full-throated support for the Trump administration despite admitting that the two “don’t really get along well” during the interview.&nbsp;
“I want him to succeed,” said Ryan, adding that Trump’s election was “a really impressive victory.”
<blockquote>
 “I mean, it was probably one of the best political combats in the history of our country. I'm one of those people who tells my friends, ‘Go help him, go serve in this administration.’ Help these guys succeed because if Trump succeeds, America succeeds.”
</blockquote>
However, when it comes to passing legislation in a timely manner, Ryan warned that even with Republican control over the executive branch, Senate and House, the “razor thin” majority could slow the Trump train down much like the divided Congress did in his previous attempts at radical government restructure.&nbsp;
“Never forget that these things take 60 votes,” warned Ryan, continuing, “Whether they get the CFTC thing done in the Farm Bill now, we’ll see. That’s probably an easier lift for everybody. […] You’re gonna have much better legislation soon, but it does take 60 votes.”
“It will require bipartisanship,” he added, pointing out that while Republicans may “hold the gavels,” crypto policy reform will require those “60 votes,” referring to the number of representatives who must support a bill for its passage in the House.&nbsp;
<h2 id="a-house-divided">A house divided</h2>
Ryan landed on a positive note, offering praise for Trump’s cabinet appointees to date. “In this particular case, with Web3, with crypto, with stablecoins,” said Ryan, “I see nothing but a good future here.”
However, Ryan cautioned against dividing the House any further by appointing more representatives to his cabinet. “He’s got to stop picking House members for his cabinet,” said Ryan.&nbsp;
“If you’re a senator and you get taken into administration, the governor gets to appoint your replacement right away. So, you can fill that vacancy right away. […] It doesn’t work like that in the House. The Constitution is clear.”
Related: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-team-mulls-creating-first-white-house-crypto-role-report" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">Trump mulls creating first White House crypto post</a>
When a member of Congress accepts a position within the executive branch, they are legally required to give up their seat. Unlike US senators, House representatives are replaced according to the laws of the state they were elected from. 
According to Ryan, this indicates that Republican-led states would likely move quicker to fill the empty seats, whereas Democrat-led states might delay the process in order to deny Republicans the vote.&nbsp;
Perhaps the most noteworthy appointee to the Trump administration from the House of Representatives is Matt Gaetz, who has been <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-nominates-bitcoin-supporter-matt-gaetz-us-attorney-general" rel="" target="_self" text="null" title="https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-nominates-bitcoin-supporter-matt-gaetz-us-attorney-general">tapped to be the next US attorney general</a>.&nbsp;
Gaetz has been the subject of an ethics oversight committee inquiry in the House; however, upon relinquishing his seat to join the Trump administration, Republicans have called for the committee to suppress the report.&nbsp;
“For my Republican colleagues in the House and Senate, if we are going to release ethics reports and rip apart our own that Trump has appointed, then put it ALL out there for the American people to see. Yes, all the ethics reports and claims including the one I filed,” <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1858848622206742717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1858968435138720252%7Ctwgr%5Ece8fcf6fdaa0f410dde664e3c61f61bfa9af140b%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deseret.com%2Fpolitics%2F2024%2F11%2F19%2Fmatt-gaetz-house-investigation%2F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" text="null" title="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1858848622206742717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1858968435138720252%7Ctwgr%5Ece8fcf6fdaa0f410dde664e3c61f61bfa9af140b%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deseret.com%2Fpolitics%2F2024%2F11%2F19%2Fmatt-gaetz-house-investigation%2F">wrote</a> Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on X. 
Taylor-Greene added “If we’re going to dance, let’s all dance in the sunlight. I’ll make sure we do.”&nbsp;
According to Ryan, Republicans could have their work cut out for them if they intend to expand upon their majority in order to pass legislation quickly.&nbsp;
Magazine: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/crypto-four-years-grow-cant-be-shut-down-kain-warwick-infinex/" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">Crypto has 4 years to grow so big ‘no one can shut it down’: Kain Warwick, Infinex</a>

Former House speaker warns partisan gridlock could derail Trump’s crypto plans

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