Crypto influencer and entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano has suggested that the current crypto market crash may be more than a random downturn. Citing what he describes as deliberate actions by President Donald Trump, Pompliano argues that the administration is intentionally pushing overall asset prices—stocks, bonds, and even crypto—lower as part of a broader strategy to force down interest rates.
Pompliano opens his remarks by posing a provocative question: “Is Donald Trump the President of the United States? Is he intentionally trying to tank the US stock market? That’d be insane.”
Trump Deliberately Crashed Crypto (And Everything Else)
He then notes the initial expectation many investors held when Trump took office: “He measures the health of the US economy through the stock market performance, and so you should expect that the stock market will go up and to the right if Donald Trump becomes President […] There was no obvious reason why Donald Trump would allow the US stock market to drop, let alone personally take actions to crash the market himself.”
Yet, according to Pompliano, that is exactly what appears to be happening. The crux of this theory rests on the notion that lower asset prices stoke market fear—thereby encouraging bond buying and driving down yields.
Pompliano points to the administration’s looming government debt obligations: “We got $7 trillion of debt. We need to pay it back in the next six months… If we don’t pay it back, we’ll have to refinance, and the Trump administration, they do not want to refinance that debt if rates are at 4% or higher. So what do we have to do? The 10-year yield. We gotta get that thing down.”
The logic is that a climate of uncertainty nudges investors away from riskier assets (including equities and, by extension, cryptocurrencies) and into safer havens like government bonds. This flight to safety typically suppresses bond yields, a welcome development for a government intent on refinancing at lower rates.
According to Pompliano, tariffs are among the primary levers the administration is using to accomplish its goal: “You do it through things like tariffs. And so as you put tariffs on, you could see the slowdown in growth […] That gives the Fed […] the authority to bring lower rates down.”
Pompliano underscores the apparent contradiction in mainstream analysis—many economists label tariffs as inflationary, yet the 10-year yield has been declining. He attributes the drop to heightening fear in equity and crypto markets, causing a bond rally that depresses yields.
Pompliano highlights President Trump’s recent statements, in which he explicitly dismisses the stock market as a short-term gauge: “What I have to do is build a strong country. You can’t really watch the stock market […] You have to do what’s right. What we’re doing is we’re building a tremendous foundation for the future.” This viewpoint, Pompliano says, signals that the administration is prepared to weather short-term disruption—even in crypto—in pursuit of lower rates.
While much of the conversation revolves around stocks and the 10-year Treasury yield, crypto markets have not been spared in the recent turbulence. Pompliano’s suggestion is that “fear and uncertainty” do not discriminate: crypto assets, known for their volatility, can be among the first to crash in broad market sell-offs.
He specifically references how the administration’s strategy might extend to all “asset prices,” creating a chilling effect on speculation: “They are crashing asset prices in an attempt to force Jerome Powell to cut interest rates […] Now, here’s the thing. We’re gonna see who blinks first. It’s a big game of chicken.”
For those in the crypto sphere, this orchestrated fear can further depress token prices. Whether one agrees with Pompliano’s theory or not, the correlation between macroeconomic policy, risk appetite, and crypto valuations is no longer in question.
Proponents of the strategy argue that reduced refinancing costs benefit both the government and consumers. Citing the AI platform Perplexity, Pompliano explains that lower interest rates typically stimulate economic activity by making credit more affordable—ranging from home loans to business investments.
“Remember, this is not your grandfather’s economy […] But if we end up with lower interest rates and we can somehow avoid a recession, then we’re all gonna have to tip our cap to the current leadership team.”
Still, prediction markets—like Cauchy, mentioned by Pompliano—show a rising probability of multiple rate cuts and a notable chance of recession. A downturn could ultimately cement the Fed’s hand in slashing rates, which may lead to a surge in crypto buying power if the cost of capital remains favorable.
Pompliano and other observers suggest the White House is willing to endure significant market pain to achieve its objective. The question is whether this will pay off without tipping the US economy into a recession: “They’re telling you in every single interview they do […] The big goal, get interest rates down, and that will lead to more economic activity thanks to access to cheap capital.”
For cryptocurrency investors, the path ahead may be turbulent as broader macro factors weigh on token prices. Yet if rates do plummet and liquidity becomes widely available, risk-taking could rebound—potentially sending crypto markets soaring once more.
At press time, Bitcoin traded at $80,323.
