Donald Trump’s Crypto Council has just lost its last known manager. Patrick Witt, its executive director, left office after his temporary assignment at the White House expired. He confirmed his departure on October 15, 2026 and announced his return to the private sector. No successor has been publicly designated, while the Clarity Act, one of the main American crypto reforms, remains blocked in the Senate.
In brief
- Patrick Witt leaves leadership of Trump’s Crypto Council after his temporary assignment ends.
- His departure comes after those of Bo Hines, David Sacks and Harry Jung.
- The Clarity Act remains blocked in the Senate since its failure on September 15.
Last head of Trump’s crypto council leaves
Patrick Witt no longer serves as executive director of the White House Crypto Council. A US administration official confirmed on Wednesday October 14 that his temporary assignment had expired.
Witt was employed by the Department of Defense before being seconded to the White House. He took over the leadership of the Council after the departure of Bo Hines in August 2025. His predecessor then chose to join the private sector, before becoming strategic advisor to Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin.
THURSDAY, Witt confirmed publicly his departure from X. He described his time in the Trump administration as a privilege and indicated that he wanted to continue supporting American technological innovation from the private sector.
He did not specify which company he would join. His departure leaves the Council without a publicly identified leader. At this point, the White House has not announced any replacement. The administration has also not indicated whether it intends to reorganize this structure responsible for coordinating part of its policy on digital assets.
For Donald Trump, this is a new change at the head of an organization created to support his ambition to make the United States the world capital of crypto.
Four departures at the top of American crypto politics
The list of officials who have left the system is growing. Bo Hines opened the series in August 2025. Patrick Witt took over from him a few weeks later. In March 2026, David Sacks also left his position as special advisor for crypto and artificial intelligence, after reaching the 130-day limit applicable to his status as a special government employee.
Harry Jung, deputy director of the Council, then left in July. With the departure of Witt, the four personalities who occupied these main functions no longer work in their respective positions within the initial system.
This does not mean that US crypto policy is stopping. The SEC, CFTC and Treasury retain regulatory authority. The Congress also continues its legislative work, regardless of the composition of the Council.
Reactions from the industry remain positive towards Witt. Lindsay Fraser, head of public policy at the Blockchain Association, praised its work in bringing different parties together around regulatory negotiations.
Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, also highlighted her involvement in discussions about the structure of the crypto market. The successive departures nevertheless reduce the number of interlocutors directly associated with the White House Council. And one of the main files followed by Witt has still not been concluded.
The Clarity Act loses its main negotiator
Patrick Witt had devoted a large part of his mandate to the Clarity Act. This project The bill aims to establish a federal framework for U.S. digital assets. In particular, it seeks to clarify the respective responsibilities of the SEC and the CFTC.
The House of Representatives adopted a first version in July 2025. In the Senate, the negotiations were significantly more difficult. On September 15, 2026, senators failed to advance the text during a procedural vote. The motion received 49 votes in favor to 50 against, while 60 votes were needed.
Two disagreements dominated the discussions. The first concerned the remuneration paid on stablecoins, which American banks are largely opposed to when they function as interest on deposits.
The second concerned the potential conflicts of interest of politicians with crypto activities, notably Donald Trump. Witt participated directly in the search for compromises between parliamentarians, companies in the sector and the administration.
His departure therefore deprives the negotiations of an experienced interlocutor. However, it does not mean the official abandonment of the Clarity Act.
Senators can resume discussions or organize a new vote attempt. The schedule nevertheless becomes tight as the end of the parliamentary session approaches. Tremplin.io had already explained why the Senate could still revive the Clarity Act despite its failure in September. For the moment, no successor to Patrick Witt has been announced and no new voting date has been confirmed. The Crypto Council wanted by Trump therefore finds itself without an identified leader, at a time when its main reform is still awaiting an outcome in Congress.
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