White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Trump's decision to pardon Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) underwent thorough review by the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel's Office. This follows Trump's comments in a CBS interview where he claimed not to know Zhao and criticized the case as a political persecution by the Biden administration. Leavitt clarified that Trump meant he has no personal relationship with Zhao.