Ripple Lobbyist Allegedly Orchestrated Post Announcing Strategic Reserve Involving XRP, SOL, and ADA
U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly misled by a lobbyist linked to Ripple Labs into promoting XRP as part of a proposed strategic cryptocurrency reserve, according to a May 8 Politico report.
The now-controversial social media post, published by Trump on March 2, announced a future “Digital Asset Stockpile” featuring XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). The language in the post was allegedly drafted by an employee of lobbyist Brian Ballard, whose firm counts Ripple among its clients.
After learning of Ballard’s connection to Ripple, Trump was reportedly “furious”, accusing the lobbyist of using his platform for influence.
“He is not welcome in anything anymore,” Trump said, according to sources cited by Politico.
Ripple’s Deep Ties to Trump and Pro-Crypto PACs
Ripple’s connections to Trump and his administration run deep:
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Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty reportedly donated over $300,000 to Trump-aligned PACs during the 2024 election cycle.
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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Alderoty met with Trump shortly after his 2024 victory and attended his inauguration.
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Ripple contributed $5 million in XRP to Trump’s presidential inaugural fund.
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The company is also a major backer of Fairshake, a pro-crypto PAC supporting blockchain-friendly candidates. Fairshake has already pledged to remain active through the 2026 midterm elections.
Executive Order Followed Days Later
Despite the incident, Trump moved forward with crypto-related policy plans, signing an executive order on March 6 to create a “Digital Asset Stockpile.” The order mirrored the previously posted language and served as the White House’s first formal acknowledgment of a national crypto reserve strategy.
While the March 2 post remains live on Trump’s social platform, the president has reportedly cut off ties with Ballard following the backlash.
Market Reaction and XRP Price
The XRP token did not appear to react significantly to the Politico report. As of the time of publication, XRP was trading at $2.23, up approximately 5% in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko.
Ripple has not yet issued a public comment regarding the report or its alleged involvement in the social media post’s creation.
Final Thoughts: Strategic Reserve Post Sparks Political and Industry Fallout
If accurate, the report sheds light on how crypto lobbying efforts are increasingly intertwined with political influence — and how fast that influence can backfire. The alleged manipulation of Trump’s messaging may undermine trust in future crypto policy announcements, even as the president continues to position the U.S. as a leader in digital asset infrastructure.
As crypto adoption moves further into the mainstream political arena, this incident underscores the need for greater transparency — not just from regulators and blockchain firms, but from those influencing policy behind the scenes.
