WASHINGTON TIMES: DAVID BOSSIE: Democrats — and Iowa’s attorney general — want you to fear innovation

In a world hurtling toward digital transformation, it’s become infuriating that so many Democrats and even some Republicans seem committed to fighting America’s leadership in cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation, which President Trump has prioritized as a critical initiative for the MAGA agenda.

From Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s infamous “anti-crypto army” rhetoric, to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s hyper-aggressive posture under former Chairman Gary Gensler and President Biden, to stalling the GENIUS stablecoin legislation and continuing to oppose the Senate bill right up to its passage, the message from Ms. Warren and many leading Democrats is clear: Innovation is dangerous, and if it doesn’t come from a Wall Street bank or a government office, it’s probably a scam.

Democrats’ hostility toward digital currency simply protects the very legacy power structures they claim to oppose. Crypto creates alternatives to the traditional banking system, which remains deeply entwined with the regulatory state. This scares Democrats, who increasingly see financial liberation not as a right, but as a threat.

In their mission to protect financial dominion over Americans, Democrats now go so far as to frame crypto as the enemy — and, of course, backed by Republicans such as Mr. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

The irony is hard to miss. The same Democrats who call for financial equity are trying to kill the very tools that can provide it. Crypto gives the “unbanked” access to capital, enables censorship-resistant transactions in authoritarian regimes and offers developers and consumers around the world a shot at building real wealth. It also promotes financial inclusion, global opportunity and permission-less innovation — exactly the kinds of things the Democratic Party once celebrated.

While Messrs. Trump and Vance and most Republicans in Congress are united in their mission to make America the “crypto capital of the world,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has, surprisingly, chosen a markedly different path. By targeting Bitcoin ATMs through lawsuits under the banner of consumer protection, Mrs. Bird has aligned herself with many of the same arguments used by anti-crypto Democrats — undermining the pro-innovation vision championed by Mr. Trump and his administration.

Mrs. Bird’s actions not only echo talking points from those who seek to derail crypto innovation, but they also risk sending a troubling message: The GOP might tolerate efforts that protect entrenched financial interests at the expense of the entrepreneurial spirit and technological progress that define the MAGA agenda. Her decision to stand with the Iowa Bankers Association in announcing these lawsuits speaks volumes about where her priorities seem to lie — alongside the very financial institutions that have worked to shut out crypto firms, conservative causes and even members of Mr. Trump’s own family.

While Mrs. Bird portrays her lawsuits as consumer protection, the reality is that they contribute to the broader pattern of overregulation that stifles innovation and limits financial freedom. At a time when Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance are pushing for policies that open doors for crypto companies and American builders, Mrs. Bird’s actions appear out of sync with the bold, future-focused direction the GOP needs.

If Republicans such as Mrs. Bird continue down this path, they risk fracturing the powerful alliance between the MAGA movement and the crypto community — and with it, America’s chance to lead the digital economy of tomorrow. Maybe it’s obvious why Mrs. Bird would side with Democrats and the big banks against the Trump-aligned crypto world. Perhaps she’s really an ambitious establishment politician cloaked in MAGA clothing.

When crypto companies are losing access to basic financial services and political actors are coordinating publicly with entrenched banking interests, it’s hard not to see the broader agenda: crush alternatives to centralized control. Mrs. Bird’s record on crypto shows a concerning disconnect with the populist innovation agenda that Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance champion.

Furthermore, if politicians such as Ms. Warren and Mrs. Bird continue down this path, they’ll cede the digital future to countries like China and other adversaries and competitors that are racing ahead with clearer, more innovation-friendly frameworks. They’ll also lose a generation of builders and creators who don’t want to fight a government that treats them like criminals for writing code and taking on big finance.

Crypto isn’t going away. At the Bitcoin 2025 conference in May, Mr. Vance — as both the highest and first White House official to ever address the event — said, “I’m here today to say loud and clear, with President Trump, crypto finally has a champion and an ally in the White House.”

And even while Mr. Trump was keeping America safe during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, on Truth Social he directed the House of Representatives to “move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act. Get it to my desk, ASAP – NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS.”

It seems Mrs. Bird didn’t get the White House memo. Republicans should be very concerned that her actions may help destroy the crypto-MAGA alliance that’s helping to advance America’s golden age.

David N. Bossie is the president of Citizens United. He served as a senior adviser to the Trump 2024 and 2020 campaigns. He served as deputy campaign manager for Donald J. Trump for President in 2016 and deputy executive director for the Trump transition team.