GOP presidential candidate and current mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, said that he is willing to accept Bitcoin (BTC) as part of his salary if elected president. Suarez made this statement in a podcast interview, where he confirmed that he already receives a portion of his mayoral salary in Bitcoin and will continue to do so if elected.
Suarez added that he believes it is important to support cryptocurrencies in general and Bitcoin in particular because he sees them as a way to ensure that freedom always exists. He described Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a “completely decentralized and highly political” monetary system that provides good protection, control, and balance.
The Mayor of Miami also mentioned the benefits of blockchain and diversified investments. He said that tokenization makes it easier for more people to participate in debt and stock investments. People can close the wealth gap by directly engaging with diversified assets and earn more money with less risk.
Bitcoin and Presidents
Cryptocurrency has become a hot topic among US presidential candidates, with both current President Joe Biden and his strongest rival, former President Donald Trump, stating that it has no intrinsic value and is a “disaster waiting to happen.”
However, Suarez joined other presidential candidates who accept cryptocurrencies by stating that he will accept Bitcoin as campaign donations, just like Robert Kennedy Jr., Ron DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy tweeted in mid-May that “Bitcoin should not be regulated as a security.” He also stated that he will accept Bitcoin payments for his campaign at the Bitcoin 2023 conference. Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is a potential Democratic presidential candidate, also supports cryptocurrency.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is considered by many as Trump’s closest rival for the Republican nomination, is outspoken in his support for Bitcoin. He started his campaign on Twitter by stating that Americans have “every right to make Bitcoin.” DeSantis also accused lawmakers and regulators of neglecting crypto laws and making it difficult for Americans to own and use them.
Despite DeSantis’ public stance on Bitcoin, Mayor Suarez claimed to have heard that his rival is against Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).
Suarez added that DeSantis should do more than just oppose CBDCs. He said, “You can’t just say that central bank digital currencies are bad,” and added:
No one agrees with that. This should be an easy place to be.
Wow