What Worked and Failed in El Salvador

Mentor Sessions Ep. 044: Bitcoin Freedom, Government Adoption Risks & IMF Criticism | My First Bitcoin Founder John Dennehy

What if government Bitcoin adoption isn't the victory everyone celebrates... but the greatest threat to true Bitcoin freedom? In this eye-opening interview on BTC Sessions, John Dennehy — founder of My First Bitcoin — drops the uncomfortable realities: governments and corporations could co-opt Bitcoin, turning it into just another controlled asset while stripping away self-custody, sovereignty, and individual power. He exposes the IMF's exploitative grip on nations, warns that politicians are "fair-weather friends" to Bitcoin, and shares why grassroots education and real-world usage are the only path to genuine liberation. From his own arrests and jail-cell epiphany ("They can't take this from me") to brutal lessons from El Salvador's experiment, John reveals why Bitcoin isn't just "number go up" — it's the tool to build a freer world, starting with self-custody and rejecting centralized control. If you're serious about Bitcoin as freedom money, this is the conversation you can't afford to miss.

Key topics: Bitcoin freedom, government Bitcoin adoption, self-custody, Bitcoin education, IMF criticism, My First Bitcoin.

Support My First Bitcoin

Website: https://myfirstbitcoin.org

X: @MyFirstBitcoin_

Chapters:

00:00 Teaser & Intro

00:01:45 Government Adoption: Threat or Victory?

00:03:09 Education + Usage for True Freedom

00:06:46 Money = Power: Bitcoin's Unique Freedom

00:08:01 Predictability & Long-Term Thinking

00:11:08 Self-Custody vs Treasury Companies

00:13:14 Global Adoption & Hurdles

00:17:09 Politicians as Fair-Weather Friends

00:22:27 The Cliff Analogy & Urgency

00:25:08 Personal Actions & Leading by Example

00:26:57 Regions Primed for Bitcoin

00:30:36 John's Seizures & Bitcoin Journey

00:36:48 IMF Exposed: Sovereignty Killer

00:44:54 Alternatives & Preventative Solutions

00:51:13 El Salvador Lessons

00:58:25 Governments: Get Out of the Way

01:01:13 Bitcoin Transforms Mindsets

01:04:27 Building New Models

01:10:59 Jail Liberation & Bitcoin Power

01:16:52 Help My First Bitcoin & Get Involved

About John Dennehy:

X: https://x.com/jdennehy_writes

Previous Episode:

Exposing the Global Elite's Bitcoin Psyop | Dr. Jack Kruse & Simon Dixon: https://youtu.be/4Rzv9meq3Yg

💰 Supported by @BowValleyCU — Tired of big banks? Join Bow Valley Credit Union, run by freedom and sound money advocates, as Canada's only traditional institution directly integrating Bitcoin for seamless, no-hassle transfers, no rehypothecation, self-custody withdrawals, insurance, auditability, and ideal corporate balance sheet integration. If you or your business is in Alberta, switch today! 👉https://qrco.de/bgGaIQ

⚡ POWERED by Abundant Mines: Fully managed Bitcoin mining. Learn more at abundantmines.com/boomers

💡BOOK Private Sessions with Nathan, Gary, or Ben at Bitcoin Mentor: Master self-custody, hardware, multisig, Lightning, privacy, and more. 👉 Visit bitcoinmentor.io

Follow Us on X:

• BTC Sessions: @BTCsessions

• Nathan: @theBTCmentor

• Gary: @GaryLeeNYC

#Bitcoin #BitcoinFreedom #GovernmentBitcoinAdoption #SelfCustody #BitcoinEducation #IMFCriticism #MyFirstBitcoin #BitcoinPodcast #BTC #BitcoinNews #IMF