Patrick Witt, who served as executive director of the White House Crypto Council, has stepped down from his post, leaving President Donald Trump’s digital asset team without a senior lead amid critical policy discussions.
Crypto Council loses leadership
Witt, on temporary assignment from the Defense Department, was heading the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets. A White House official confirmed to The Block that Witt’s assignment, referred to as a “detail,” has ended, and extended thanks for his service. No successor has been named for the position, resulting in a leadership vacancy as the administration navigates unresolved crypto regulation matters.
The lack of response from the White House regarding Witt’s replacement followed repeated inquiries by journalist Eleanor Terrett, who reported making several attempts to clarify Witt’s employment status. Witt declined to comment on the matter.
Witt’s departure follows a trend within the Trump administration’s crypto policy team. He is the third official to step down this year. David Sacks, previously overseeing both crypto and artificial intelligence matters, left the administration in March after reaching a 130-day service limit for special government employees. Harry Jung, Witt’s deputy, exited the council in July. Witt was reportedly the sole remaining staff member on the digital asset council after Jung’s departure.
Earlier, Witt was scheduled to participate in mandatory training with the Georgia Army National Guard in July, which he stated had been postponed.
Mini dictionary: White House Crypto Council, an executive advisory body formed within the White House to coordinate digital asset and blockchain policy in the United States.
Lindsay Fraser, chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association, credited Witt with maintaining dialogue among stakeholders during difficult negotiations. Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, expressed appreciation for Witt’s efforts, highlighting the challenges of forging consensus on market structure rules.
Witt was recognized by industry leaders for managing tough conversations and for his commitment to building consensus during ongoing digital asset regulation talks.
Uncertainty surrounds CLARITY Act progress
Witt’s principal objective as head of the council was to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. This proposed legislation aims to clarify federal oversight of digital assets, specifically determining whether the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) should serve as the primary regulator.
The House passed its version of the bill, H.R. 3633, in July 2025 with 294 votes in favor and 134 against, including support from 78 Democrats. However, the bill stalled in the Senate in September after failing to secure the 60 votes needed for cloture, receiving only 49 in support.
| Legislative stage | Outcome | Votes in favor | Votes needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| House (H.R. 3633) | Passed | 294 | N/A |
| Senate cloture (September 2025) | Failed | 49 | 60 |
In August, Witt blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and certain pro-crypto Democrats for preventing a procedural vote from occurring before the August recess. He previously warned that missing the September 15 window for action might stall the bill indefinitely.
The legislation became stalled amidst disputes over stablecoin incentives, government ethics provisions, and scrutiny of Trump’s own digital asset holdings. Some Democratic lawmakers argued that proposed ethics clauses would not be enforceable, as such matters would fall under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department rather than state attorneys general.
With Witt’s exit, lawmakers and industry participants are bracing for uncertainty, as no White House point person remains to advocate for the bill during the limited legislative calendar before January.
The Senate has scheduled 22 session days between the midterm elections and January, but none have been designated for digital asset policy, making the future prospects of the CLARITY Act uncertain with Witt’s departure.
