CoinDesk Podcast Network Hoskinson Slams Trump's Crypto Involvement and David Sacks' Leadership
Jan 12, 2026
Charles Hoskinson, the visionary founder of Cardano, delves into the volatile intersection of crypto and politics. He critiques the impact of political memecoins, particularly the Trump-backed ones, on regulation and public perception. Hoskinson also shares his thoughts on the need for a balanced approach to digital asset regulation and the failure of leadership in the crypto space. With optimism, he outlines Cardano's future innovations and discusses the pressing challenges posed by AI versus quantum technology in the crypto landscape.
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Leaving X Because It Became Unusable
- Charles Hoskinson described uninstalling X after finding most replies were bots and negative noise.
- He now uses a broadcast-only strategy with humans and a digital twin to avoid toxic engagement.
Polarization Pushed Retail Out
- Hoskinson argues crypto mirrored broader societal outrage and got swept into polarized, conspiratorial discourse.
- That combination drove away retail users and pushed the market toward institutional Wall Street players.
Memecoins Broke Bipartisan Momentum
- The Trump administration launching a presidential memecoin institutionalized extractive behavior in crypto.
- That move collapsed a bipartisan regulatory window by making crypto a partisan talking point.