- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made a bold claim about how he would incorporate blockchain technology into governance if elected president.
- RFK Jr.’s plan could bring greater transparency to U.S. government spending.
- The presidential hopeful remains a fringe candidate despite his pro-crypto rhetoric.
Over the past year, crypto and blockchain technology has increasingly come into focus in the U.S. presidential race aided by the vocal support of some of the candidates, with prominent names including Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, and Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.
While Ramaswamy and DeSantis have since dropped out of the race, RFK Jr. has refused to throw in the towel, continuing to espouse pro-crypto and blockchain rhetorics. In the latest instance, the presidential hopeful has made a bold vow, promising to bring greater transparency to government spending using blockchain technology.
RFK Jr.’s Bold Plan
In an April 21 Michigan rally, RFK Jr. disclosed a bold plan to put the U.S. budget on the blockchain.
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"I’m gonna put the entire U.S. budget on blockchain," the presidential hopeful told the cheering crowd.
Tipping the technology to bring greater transparency to government spending, he added:
"Every American can look at every budget item in the entire budget, anytime they want, 24 hours a day. We’re gonna have 300 million eyeballs on our budget, and if somebody is spending $16,000 for a toilet seat, everybody’s gonna know about it."
RFK Jr.’s statements come as there has been increased concern over U.S. government spending over the past year, with disagreements over the matter within the Senate almost leading to a government shutdown in March 2024.
Reacting to the presidential candidate’s recent pledge, some in the crypto community have hailed it as “forward-thinking,” while others have called into question the practicality. Despite these sentiments, it remains unclear whether RFK Jr. is a serious contender in the race.
Still a Fringe Candidate?
Judging by recent polls, the independent candidate who gave up on hopes of securing the Democratic ticket continues to trail behind President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. RFK Jr.’s odds are further challenged by how he is viewed by mainstream media.
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For example, The Atlantic recently described him as “a flame-throwing extremist posing as a mellow unifier.” These views come largely in response to RFK Jr.’s promotion of conspiracy theories around COVID-19, vaccines, and even mass shootings.
With RFK Jr. widely viewed as the third horse in the presidential race, the discussion is shifting to whose campaign his candidacy is going to hurt. While previous speculation has suggested that RFK Jr.’s run is likely to draw votes away from Biden, a recent NBC News Poll has found otherwise. Per the poll, the independent candidate drew 15% of respondents in favor of Trump, compared to 7% in favor of Biden.
On the Flipside
- RFK Jr.’s understanding of crypto and blockchain technology is still debated in Web3 circles.
- On Thursday, April 18, the Kennedys snubbed RFK Jr. to support Biden’s bid for reelection.
- Donald Trump has recently appeared to soften his stance on crypto.
Why This Matters
The U.S. presidency is widely seen as the most important political office in the world. While the crypto industry could benefit from a would-be pro-crypto president like RFK Jr., it is also necessary to understand the candidate’s stance on other matters.
Read this for more on RFK Jr.’s crypto advocacy:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Pledges to Protect Bitcoin When President
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