Congressman Ro Khanna Says Democrats Are Altering Their Tune On Bitcoin

On March 11, 2025, Rep. Ro Khanna gave a brief however impactful discuss on the Bitcoin Coverage Institute’s Bitcoin for America summit.

“Bitcoin is transformational for thus many individuals world wide,” Rep. Khanna said on the summit. “That’s the reason the Democratic Celebration needs to be embracing it as one thing that may create monetary empowerment for folks not simply in the US, however world wide.”

That is the kind of message he’s been spreading for years now, and he’s urged his fellow Democrats to comply with his lead. He’s implored them to not be petrified of Bitcoin however to view it simply as they view different main technological developments of our time, together with the web itself.

“My objective is to make Bitcoin bipartisan,” Rep. Khanna advised Bitcoin Journal. “I wish to persuade Democrats that bitcoin is a next-generation retailer of worth that thousands and thousands of individuals world wide use and that America exhibiting management on it permits us to attach with these folks, typically a few of the most disenfranchised.”

For a celebration that always advocates for monetary inclusion, it appears virtually ironic that so many Democrats have appeared previous Bitcoin, an open-source expertise that anybody can use with nothing greater than an web connection (and, in some circumstances, even without one).

With that stated, Rep. Khanna made the purpose that, whereas he stays one of many few extra vocal Democrats in the case of being pro-Bitcoin, the variety of Democratic politicians who’ve said that they’re in favor of the expertise has elevated considerably over the previous few years.

“We went from simply 10 of us or so supporting Bitcoin and crypto to virtually 70 or 80,” stated Rep. Khanna. “It’s taking place slowly.”

And whereas some have attributed to malice most Democrats’ historic stance on Bitcoin, Rep. Khanna claims the problem is extra a lack of know-how of the expertise’s objective and use circumstances.

“Some Democratic politicians are usually not conscious of how useful Bitcoin might be with remittances or how it may be utilized by those that don’t have entry to U.S. {dollars},” stated the congressman. “Many individuals world wide use it for each causes,” he added, alluding to the concept that many, together with some Democrats, may not pay attention to this reality.

The Bitcoin And Crypto Voting Bloc In U.S. Swing States

In accordance with research from Coinbase, in every of the swing states in the latest U.S. presidential election, there have been about 10 occasions the variety of crypto holders in comparison with the vote differential between Biden and Trump in 2020.

Harris misplaced to Trump in every of those swing states, leaving some to invest that the turnout of the Bitcoin and crypto voting bloc could have been one of many main forces that swayed the election in Trump’s favor.

Whereas Rep. Khanna doesn’t know to what extent this voting bloc impacted the election outcomes, he agreed that it was probably one among many main components that affected the end result of the election.

“I believe it made a distinction,” stated the congressman. “In such an in depth election, the whole lot issues, and the very fact that there have been some Democrats who offended Bitcoin and crypto voters was not useful.”

And Rep. Khanna will not be alone in acknowledging this.

In December 2024, on the New York Instances DealBook Summit, Van Jones — political analyst, media persona, and distinguished voice throughout the Democratic get together — stated that it was to the Democratic get together’s detriment that it shut out pro-Bitcoin and pro-crypto voters.

Rep. Khanna sang Jones’ praises and stated that we needs to be listening to extra voices like Jones’ throughout the Democratic get together talking up in favor of Bitcoin within the close to future.

“I’ve lots of respect for Van Jones,” stated Rep. Khanna.

“He spent a while within the Bay Space, so he will get expertise. The get together can be shifting in a route that’s going to embrace Bitcoin and different applied sciences,” he added.

Will President Trump’s Embrace Of Bitcoin Deter Democrats From Supporting It?

Whereas it solely appears logical that the Democratic get together would reverse its stance on Bitcoin if it’s trying to decide up seats on the Home and Senate come the 2026 midterm elections, it concurrently appears tough to think about extra Democrats popping out in assist of Bitcoin given the extremely partisan political local weather within the U.S. coupled with the truth that President Trump is an ardent Bitcoin supporter.

Rep. Khanna argued that Democrats shouldn’t be considering alongside get together traces in the case of Bitcoin, however quite assessing the expertise primarily based solely on what it’s.

“Politicians are able to evaluating Bitcoin on its deserves,” stated Rep. Khanna. 

“Bitcoin is only a decentralized digital forex that allows peer-to-peer transactions with no want for an middleman. Folks simply want to check Bitcoin and be taught that it’s only a medium of trade,” he added.

Rep. Khanna additionally took a second to distinguish between Bitcoin and meme cash, highlighting the truth that the president’s not too long ago launched coin ($TRUMP) creates a lot confusion concerning the worth proposition of crypto belongings, together with bitcoin.

“We shouldn’t have elected officers like President Trump launching meme cash,” stated the congressman. 

Getting Democrats on the Proper Aspect of Historical past

At a time when many U.S. residents are struggling to make ends meet, ought to Bitcoin be a front-and-center subject for Democrats, as soon as broadly thought to be the political get together of the center and dealing class?

Rep. Khanna doesn’t essentially suppose so, however he additionally doesn’t suppose the get together ought to proceed to pooh-pooh the expertise.

“There are far larger points at hand proper now just like the cuts in Medicaid, the firing of veterans, and the erratic coverage of tariffs,” the congressman defined.

“However the Democrats have been on the mistaken facet of problems with innovation and Bitcoin in 2022 and 2024, and we now have a chance to get on the proper facet of it,” he added.

So, how can pro-Bitcoin Democrat voters assist to get their get together on the proper facet of historical past in the case of Bitcoin?

Rep. Khanna had a couple of strategies:

“They need to level to these of us who’re main on Bitcoin and crypto,” he stated.

“They will encourage members of presidency to check the problem, in order that they’re not uninformed,” he added. 

“And they need to discuss in regards to the monumental adoption of Bitcoin.”