Eric Trump Interview: The U.S. Must Win the AI, Energy, and Crypto Competitions

Organized & Compiled: Deep Tide TechFlow

Guest: Eric Trump, American businessman, political activist, son of Donald Trump

Hosts: Bonnie; David

Podcast Source: Bonnie Blockchain

Key Summary

In this episode, Trump’s second son Eric Trump shares Trump’s cryptocurrency strategies, why he founded American Bitcoin mining company, how the US is leading the energy and AI race, why other countries can’t catch up, and the story of the family being betrayed by large banks.

He also talks about learning business and negotiation skills from his father since childhood, how “Trump: The Art of the Deal” influenced his life, and Donald Trump’s close and warm side at home.

Highlights and Insights

On Why the US Must Win the AI, Energy, and Crypto Competitions

• “My father wants the US to win in everything we do. He believes America must win in energy, AI, and cryptocurrency.”
• “He ran for office with the idea of a ‘Crypto President.’ He believes in cryptocurrencies, in Bitcoin, and in digital assets.”
• “If the US doesn’t do it, Asia will; if the US doesn’t do it, the Middle East will. So, America must lead.”
• “The US isn’t just energy independent; we’re also exporting energy. If Europe wants to challenge AI or crypto, good luck, because they don’t have the energy infrastructure for it.”

On the Global Value of Bitcoin and the US Dollar Advantage

• “Bitcoin’s position in many international markets might be more important than in the US, which is the world’s largest economy.”
• “In places with severe inflation, bad banks, poor governance, unstable markets, and rampant corruption, what’s better to hold than Bitcoin?”
• “Everyone wants the dollar. No one wants the euro or other currencies—they want the dollar.”

On American Bitcoin’s Mining Strategy

• “American Bitcoin was founded 8 months and 3 days ago, and already has over 90,000 mining machines, with more than 28 EH/s of hash rate, accounting for about 2.5% to 3% of the global mining capacity.”
• “Our company’s only premise is to expand Bitcoin holdings; our North Star is increasing the Satoshi per share.”
• “If a company’s money could be invested in assets that have grown about 70% annually over the past decade, but instead is used to pay high executive salaries, which creates more value for shareholders?”
• “We believe in Bitcoin. Unless a catastrophic disaster occurs, it will be very, very difficult for us to sell Bitcoin.”

On Two Bitcoin Company Competitions

• “One is a race to accumulate the most Bitcoin; the other is a race to acquire the most Bitcoin at the lowest cost.”
• “Michael Saylor is visionary; he’s done an incredible job accumulating the most Bitcoin.”
• “American Bitcoin aims to win another race: who can acquire the most Bitcoin at the lowest cost.”
• “What other commodity or product can be mined at about half the market price? That’s what American Bitcoin does every day.”

On Being Abandoned by Banks and Entering the Crypto Industry

• “We did nothing wrong, yet we were chased out by America’s largest banks—300 accounts closed overnight, just because of politics.”
• “This pushed us toward digital assets, DeFi, and also brought us into contact with others who had been abandoned by these banks.”
• “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That’s exactly what happened between the Trump family and the crypto industry.”
• “If 5, 6, or 7 years ago you told me I’d be so passionate about digital assets, I would have laughed. Now, nothing excites me more.”

On Father, Childhood, and Family Relationships

• “I love walking construction sites with my father, watching New York’s most impressive buildings slowly rise through steel and concrete.”
• “He’s my best friend in the world, and I am immensely proud of him, extremely proud.”
• “He still calls me Honey. I’m 42 now, with white hair in my beard, and he still calls me Honey.”

New Federal Reserve Chair, Energy, and Cryptocurrency

Host David: Eric, welcome to the show. Kevin Walsh is considered the next Fed Chair, a very tech-savvy person with close ties to Silicon Valley. If he officially takes the role, we expect this to happen; he might become the most tech-savvy Fed Chair in history. He has said before that Bitcoin and AI will be the main drivers of the US economy. What do you think this means for the future of Bitcoin and AI?

Eric Trump:

Let me put it simply. My father wants the US to win in everything we do. He believes America must win in energy, AI, and cryptocurrency. That’s his entire platform, his whole mandate.

He ran for office with the idea of a ‘Crypto President.’ He believes in cryptocurrencies, in the flow of capital in more efficient, safer, and transparent ways. He believes in this industry, in Bitcoin, and in digital assets. So, it’s very logical that his close circle shares this premise. If someone doesn’t agree, he wouldn’t bring them into his core team.

Looking around the world, it’s very clear. Just look at the transformation digital assets are undergoing, tokenization, what Bitcoin has already achieved, and the explosive growth of digital assets over the past decade.

Combine that with another fact: we have a government that supports crypto, and the US possibly has the best energy infrastructure in the world. Not only have we achieved energy independence, but we’re also exporting energy. If Europe wants to challenge AI, good luck; if they want to challenge crypto, good luck. They can’t do it because they lack the energy infrastructure to support it.

So, we will win because we are the first movers. We are also the largest economy globally, with a clear advantage. Now, there’s a government pushing this forward, and we have the energy resources to complete it.

Since my father took office, the policy direction on crypto has shifted 180 degrees. During Biden’s administration, almost everyone trying to improve finance with better, more efficient, modern methods was thrown into jail. Now, it’s different. We’re about to see a Fed Chair who is very friendly to this industry—and not just friendly, but someone who truly understands it.

Biden and Kamala Harris can’t even spell AI. They don’t know what they’re talking about, and they’re unwilling to understand it. My father wants to win this race, to be the best in the world. By the way, if the US doesn’t do it, Asia will; if the US doesn’t do it, the Middle East will. So, we’re leading, and this is exactly what America must do.

Can the world win together?

Host Bonnie: Is it possible for everyone to win together?

Eric Trump:

I think so. It’s obvious that cryptocurrency is a global digital finance system. I am the head of American Bitcoin and the founder of this company. I believe in digital assets.

I can even say that Bitcoin’s position in many international markets might be as important as in the US, or even more so, even though the US is the largest economy. Many places in the world suffer from hyperinflation, bad banks, poor governance, unstable markets, and corruption. In these places, what’s better to hold than Bitcoin? Because no one can seize your money overnight, institutions can’t lose your funds, and capital markets can’t crash and wipe out your resources.

Suddenly, you have global liquidity available 24/7, every day of the week. How? Just with your iPad or smartphone.

Here’s a point: the global community is actually the biggest beneficiary because it creates financial independence and freedom worldwide, connecting global finance in unprecedented ways.

For example, if I want to send money to Morocco now, how do I do it? If I have to use SWIFT wire transfers, I need to find a bank in Morocco, communicate with them, speak the same language, and deal with exchange rates. What crypto does is eliminate all that. It allows funds to transfer instantly worldwide.

So, is it going to be global? 100%. The entire concept of cryptocurrencies and digital assets is to make them global. Who benefits the most? The US. Because everyone wants dollars. No one wants euros or other currencies—they want dollars. So, I believe this is a global initiative, but the US will be the biggest beneficiary.

Why is Bitcoin mining coming to the US?

Host Bonnie: Let’s talk about American Bitcoin. What brought Bitcoin miners to the US? Miners need jurisdictions with low energy costs and possibly low capital gains taxes. How can we make mining in the US more advantageous for miners themselves?

Eric Trump:

First, the US has many tax policies that support this. For example, bonus depreciation allows you to deduct capital investments, and mining machines, facilities, and energy infrastructure are obviously capital-intensive. So, the US has some advantages. Like other industries here, if you’re willing to invest capital in something and build infrastructure, there are significant tax savings.

Second, we have the best energy in the world. Try doing this in the UK—there’s no chance. Their energy production is far below their consumption. They can’t win the AI race, the crypto race, or mine Bitcoin. The US has some of the lowest energy costs globally. Look at Texas—most of American Bitcoin’s mining is there, where energy prices are among the best worldwide. So, we can be very competitive.

American Bitcoin launched 8 months and 3 days ago, and we now hold well over 7,000 Bitcoin. We built this company from zero, now with over 90,000 machines, more than 28 EH/s of hash rate, accounting for about 2.5% to 3% of global mining. It’s a remarkable story for just 8 months and 3 days.

We can do this on US soil, using US energy. The US must become the global leader in all crypto-related matters, digital markets, and digital finance. That’s a key goal of mine, and I am rapidly pushing toward it.

Trump Family “The Art of the Deal”

Host Bonnie: I really like “The Art of the Deal,” and I even made a video about it. How has it influenced your view of deals and business?

Eric Trump:

I’ve lived my entire life in “The Art of the Deal,” you could say I was born under its influence. When that book was published, I was very young. It’s been like a guiding principle for me in many ways.

I run the Trump Organization every day. Before my father entered politics, I was working with him almost every second. He’s my best friend in the world. Those experiences and lessons are deeply ingrained—negotiation, operating very efficiently.

We do the same at American Bitcoin. We negotiate everything and operate with extreme efficiency. We probably have the industry’s lowest SG&A costs, a huge gap from competitors. We can’t find anyone with a cost structure or efficiency level like ours.

American Bitcoin Strategy

Eric Trump:

We do this because we don’t pay outrageous salaries to CEOs who take their pay in cash. Ultimately, what are we trying to build? Our own Bitcoin holdings.

If you pay hundreds of millions of dollars to executives, money that could have been invested in assets that grew about 70% annually over the past decade, which creates more value for shareholders? Is it executive pay, or actually accumulating Bitcoin, holding it, and letting it grow year after year?

Host David: How do you decide how much of the Bitcoin you mine should be sold on the market?

Eric Trump:

We strive to hold every Bitcoin. Our entire company’s premise is to expand our Bitcoin holdings. Our North Star is increasing the Satoshi per share.

Never selling Bitcoin?

Host David: Michael Saylor recently said he might sell some Bitcoin to fund dividends. Under what circumstances would you consider selling some Bitcoin? If someone asks you, why would you sell Bitcoin, what reasons would you give?

Eric Trump:

It would have to be a catastrophic situation. We are American Bitcoin, and we believe in Bitcoin. No matter what happens, it will be very, very difficult for us to sell the treasury reserves. Our only goal is to expand that reserve.

Look at what’s happening in the global ecosystem. See what retail investors are doing, what institutional investors are doing. You see the biggest banks in the US accumulating Bitcoin, and Fortune 500 companies putting Bitcoin on their balance sheets in unprecedented ways. You see legislative developments, countries following the US’s lead, embracing crypto in new ways.

Cryptocurrency is being adopted on a large scale, especially Bitcoin, because Bitcoin is clearly winning this race. This trend is unlike anything we’ve seen before. Since we believe it’s a perfect financial tool, why get rid of it? Our premise is to accumulate as much as possible.

The Two Competitions of Bitcoin Companies

Eric Trump:

We see two competitions. Michael is my good friend—I know you’ve interviewed him before. I’ve known Michael for 25 years, even before he founded MicroStrategy.

The first is who can accumulate the most Bitcoin. Michael is incredible at this; he’s very visionary. The second is who can acquire the most Bitcoin at the lowest cost. And I can tell you, at American Bitcoin, we want to win that race—we want to be the ones acquiring the most Bitcoin at the lowest cost.

Can you grow $1 worth of wheat at 50 cents? Can you grow $1 worth of corn? These are exaggerated examples, but obviously impossible—there’s a huge gap. Can you mine $1 worth of gold at 50 cents? What other commodities or products can be mined at about half the market price? That’s what American Bitcoin does every day.

This is a fantastic business model, leveraging our infrastructure, low-cost structure, and energy resources. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved in just 8 months.

The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend

Host Bonnie: Why is Bitcoin important to you personally?

Eric Trump:

Digital assets are important to me because we were once abandoned by banks. In US politics, things are very brutal—just like in any country’s politics. Canada, other places—same story. But we were abandoned by America’s biggest banks, and we did nothing wrong.

We own the best hotels, the best residential buildings, the best commercial properties, and the world’s top real estate. Yet, many of the largest banks, like JPMorgan and Capital One, shut us out. We were chased away like dogs—300 accounts closed overnight, with no wrongdoing on our part, just politics.

This pushed us into digital assets, into DeFi, and also connected us with others who had been similarly abandoned. As the old saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That’s exactly what happened between the Trump family and the crypto industry.

Later, we met some of the smartest people we’ve ever known, embraced this industry, and started to understand it. It all clicked for us, for you, and for everyone. I might be one of the biggest supporters of crypto worldwide, coming from someone who’s spent his life building hard assets, like the place we’re in now.

If 5, 6, or 7 years ago you told me I’d be so passionate about digital assets, I would have laughed. I’d have laughed at you. But now, nothing excites me more. I love what I do at American Bitcoin, what we do at World Liberty Financial, what we’re doing with stablecoins, and everything in the ecosystem. I am immensely proud of all this.

Childhood and Unforgettable Memories with Father

Host Bonnie: What’s your favorite childhood memory related to your father?

Eric Trump:

I loved walking construction sites with him, watching New York’s most impressive buildings slowly rise through steel and concrete. Those memories are very special.

The union contractors in New York are tough, but they’re also some of the best builders in the world. Those memories are incredible. Also, as a kid, I’d build Lego skyscrapers in his office while he was in very important meetings. Sitting there as an observer on the wall was amazing.

He’s an incredible person. He’s doing a fantastic job for this country. He’s my best friend in the world, and I am immensely proud of him, extremely proud.

Does Trump Say “I Love You” at Home?

Host Bonnie: Do you guys say “I love you” to each other?

Eric Trump:

He often says it. He still calls me Honey. He’ll say, “Honey, Honey.” I’m now 42, with white hair in my beard, and he still calls me Honey. He jokes about it too. He says, “My children, no matter how old they are, no matter if they have kids or are married, they will always be my Honey.”

He’s a wonderful person. I’m proud of everything he’s achieved. I’m proud of how I run our company. And I’m proud to be one of the leaders in the digital asset race. I hope people remember that we’ve contributed a lot to pushing this asset class forward.