Ryan Selkis, founder of the blockchain analytics firm Messari, has sparked controversy by labeling Ripple as a threat to President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed crypto agenda. In a scathing post on Thursday, Selkis criticized Ripple’s leadership, accusing them of pursuing political power and influence at the expense of broader crypto principles. “My issue with them is that they aren’t content with just being billionaires; they lust for power. But they aren’t good people,” Selkis tweeted . His remarks followed reports that Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse met with Trump to discuss possibly including altcoins like XRP in a proposed U.S. strategic crypto reserve. The news sparked optimism, causing XRP to surge and reach a seven-year high of $3.40. While some viewed this as a potential pivot in Trump’s traditionally Bitcoin-focused stance, skepticism abounds with multiple sources have since debunked the claims as likely “self-serving” rumors propagated by Ripple itself. According to a Thursday New York Times article, Susan Hendrick, Ripple’s Senior Communications Director, confirmed the meeting but denied reports that Trump was receptive to including XRP. That said, Ripple’s political maneuvers have drawn criticism from Selkis and sparked widespread scrutiny. The controversy intensified when Trump reportedly chastised an unnamed company, widely speculated to be Ripple, for failing to support his campaign. Compounding this is co-founder Chris Larsen’s $11.8 million in donations to PACs backing Kamala Harris, fueling accusations that Ripple is leveraging its resources to influence political outcomes. Alexander Leishman, CEO of Bitcoin investment firm River, took to X on Friday, writing , “Ripple is the worst bad actor in the industry, courting the Trump administration after attacking Bitcoin and funding Democrats for years. Everyone in the Trump admin needs to understand that Ripple should not be trusted.” Earlier that day, he had called on Coinbase leadership to weigh in on the matter by delisting XRP, referring to Ripple as “ snakes and it’s a mistake to enable their scheme” Similarly, Walker, host of The Bitcoin Podcast, added to the criticism, tweeting, “ Why is Donald Trump meeting with Ripple’s CEO? For those with short memories, Ripple is the same company behind the ‘Change the Code’ anti-Bitcoin campaign.” That said, Selkis’s critique underscores a larger debate about the role of crypto firms in shaping U.S. policy. While Trump’s administration appears to be exploring a more diversified approach to cryptocurrency, skepticism about Ripple’s motives continues to grow. Ripple representatives have repeatedly denied allegations of spreading rumors or manipulating public opinion. As XRP’s price remains volatile and the SEC’s legal battle against Ripple continues, the company’s future and potential influence on U.S. crypto policy remains uncertain.
