So, you know how in government jobs there's often a probation period or a term limit? For David Sacks, the venture capitalist turned White House AI and Crypto Czar, that limit was exactly 130 days. And as of Thursday, he says he's "used up" every last one of them.
In a chat with Bloomberg, Sacks confirmed the end of his stint as a special government employee. The role, created by President Donald Trump in December 2024, was essentially a sprint: shape U.S. policy on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency to make the country the undisputed global leader. Now, that sprint is over, and Sacks is moving to a different track.
"I think moving forward as co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations on not just AI but an expanded range of technology topics," Sacks said, sounding pretty upbeat about the switch. "So yes, this is how I'll be involved moving forward."
That's the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, or PCAST for short. It's a longer-term advisory gig with a broader mandate. Instead of being hyper-focused on just crypto and AI, he'll get to weigh in on everything from quantum computing to biotech. It's a promotion from specialist to generalist.
His 130-day tenure, however, wasn't without its critics. The most notable came from Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who accused him of overstaying his welcome to keep "influencing" crypto policy beyond the legal limit. It's the kind of Washington drama that makes you wonder if anyone actually reads the employee handbook.
Then there was the criticism from within the crypto world itself. Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano (ADA), took particular aim at Sacks. Hoskinson blamed him for failing to prevent Trump from launching ventures that, in his view, have gummed up the works for passing cryptocurrency legislation. It's a classic case of the industry blaming its inside man for not getting enough done—a tough spot for any czar.
Before all this government work began, Sacks did what any official entering a role touching financial markets probably should: he cleaned house. To comply with federal ethics rules, he sold off his entire cryptocurrency portfolio. That meant saying goodbye to his holdings in Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL). No more checking the crypto charts with a personal stake in the game.
So, what's the takeaway from Sacks' brief but eventful tour in the Trump administration? It shows how the government is trying to tap Silicon Valley talent for fast-moving tech issues, even if those arrangements come with built-in expiration dates and plenty of scrutiny. Sacks' move to PCAST suggests he's still in the game, just playing on a larger board. Whether his recommendations there will fare better than his efforts as czar remains to be seen.
